HALMAHERA NOW ISOLATED

Southland Times, Issue 25478, 26 September 1944, Page 5

HALMAHERA NOW ISOLATED

Japanese Trying To Save Supplies (Special Australian Correspondent, N.Z.P.A.)

(Rec. 9 p.m.) SYDNEY, September 25. The Japanese appear to be attempting to save what they can from their big Halmahera base, now isolated and made impotent by the American invasion of Morotai Island.

Allied patrol boats in these waters on Friday night sank five Japanese barges loaded with oil and other supplies and

headed north-west. The barges were evidently trying to reach the Philippines or perhaps the Talaud Islands, midway between Morotai and Indano. The nature of their cargo leads to the belief that, despite their possession of the rich oil-bearing areas of the Dutch East Indies, the Japanese at some bases are short of oil.

After last week’s ill-fated enemy attempts to evacuate men and stores from Halmahera, the Allied blockade of the area has been tightened. On Saturday night our light naval vessels moved close in-shore to strafe the Japanese coastal defence positions on Halmahera. BOMBING OF CELEBES In the past three weeks, targets in the Celebes about 100 miles west of Halmahera have been hit with 2200 tons of bombs. Airfields and shipping concentrations have been the principal objectives. During the weekend General MacArthur’s bombers maintained this offensive. They destroyed or seriously damaged 14 barges and several small craft. No South-west Pacific Command aircraft are reported to have been over the Philippines, where heavy soften-ing-up blows are now being delivered by Admiral William F. Halsey’s 3rd Fleet. JAPANESE CONVOY Attack By U.S. Warships (Rec. 7.55 p.m.) WASHINGTON, September 24. An enemy attempt to reinforce the beleaguered troops on the northern end of Peleliu Island yesterday was broken up, says the Pacific Fleet communique. We sighted a convoy of 13 barges and one motor sampan carrying men and equipment, which was immediately brought under fire by United States warships, some of which pushed through mined waters to close range. A number of barges were seen to explode and later 10 wrecked barges were counted on reefs north-east of Peleliu. The remainder are thought to have been sunk. The enemy were probably able to swim ashore without equipment. A United States cruiser carried out a bombardment and scored at least one direct hit yesterday on two camouflaged ships in Malaya Harbour, which were previously damaged by our aircraft. Marines on Peleliu have made small gains on the I'ight and left flank and mopping-up operations continue on Angaur. ENEMY SHIPS SUNK American Carrier Planes WASHINGTON, September 24. Admiral Chester W. Nimitz announces that carrier planes of Admiral William F. Halsey’s 3rd Fleet sank 29 more ships in the Manila Bay area, damaged 20, sank or damaged 16 small craft and destroyed or damaged 200 planes on Thursday. The Americans lost 11 planes.