LONG AND EXPENSIVE

Timaru Herald, Volume CLIV, Issue 22723, 26 October 1943, Page 5

LONG AND EXPENSIVE

War In The Pacific

Enemy Scarcely Scratched By Telegraph—N.Z. Press Assn.—Copyright (8 p.m.) SYDNEY, Oct. 24. The war in the Pacific would be long and expensive, declared RearAdmiral D. E. Barbey, commander of the amphibious force of the Seventh Fleql of the United States Navy. He commanded the naval task force which participated in the recent attacks on Lae, Finschhafen and Northern New Guinea. Rear-Admiral Barbey said the Allies had scarcely scratched the enemy yet in comparison with what remained to be done. “As we moved closer the Japanese would fight back harder,” he said. “To push the enemy back involves to some extent a programme of what has been wrongly called ‘island hopping.’ We can expect to by-pass a number of points, but in view of the nature of the enemy’s conquests we have co tackle separated points in an almost regular procession. The prospect we face is one of recapturing a number of strongholds separated by stretches of ocean. We do not intend to sit. tight in the South-west Pacific. We are working in close co-operation with Admiral William Halsey in the South Pacific and we are going to keep moving. We have started to roll back the Japanese, but we have a long way to go.” Air Operations The Japanese efforts to break through to the North New Guinea coast in the Finschhafen area, apparently for the purpose of escape, evacuation or sea supply, have terminated. This is stated in General MacArthur’s latest communique, which adds that the enemy has now fallen back to bases in the hills where his supply routes to the north are difficult and precarious. Heavy damage was done when our escorted medium bombers made a lowlevel attack on Dagua Bay, aerodromes at. Wewak, and on shipping in the harbour. Twenty grounded aircraft were destroyed, two 1000-ton cargo ships were sunk and a third was damaged. Sixteen barges were also destroyed and three of 28 intercepting enemy fighters were shot down with three others probably destroyed. Four of our fighters are missing. In a surprise night attack at Buka (Bougainville) a heavy reconnaissance bomber scored three direct hits on the deck of a large vessel resembling an aircraft-carrier, causing a large explosion and fire. At Choiseul, Admiral Halsey’s aircraft attacked a corvette, leaving it settling by the stern. For three and a-half hours they strafed 24 enemy barges, effectively dispersing them. Daring Sortie A daring sortie into Japanese-held territory in the South Pacific resulted in the rescue of 160 survivors from the United States cruiser Helena, which was sunk in Kula Gulf on June 7. Most of the 1000 survivors were rescued from the water, but 160 in two parties made their way to Vella Lavella, where friendly natives took one party to a village, helped to protect their camp and disposed of four Japanese who patrolled too close. A few days later communication was established with Tulagi, and two destroyer transports crept inshore at midnight to pick up the first party. Later they rescued the second party. Eight other destroyers patrolled offshore. Enemy aircraft found tile convoy but their bombs did no damage. Seriously wounded soldiers were carried to safety while a battle raged around an Allied advanced dressing station six miles north of Finschhafen, New Guinea, last week. Many of the men had undergone major operations only a few hours previously. Miraculously the casualties among patients were extremely light, although the entire station area was raked with enemy mortar and machine-gun fire. Most of the medical equipment had to be abandoned by the evacuating personnel, but it was later recovered after our infantry had repulsed the Japanese. “Shot Down Like Ducks” Marked deterioration in the ability and courage of Japanese pilots is being revealed bv the Allied air offensive in the Solomons, says an Australian war correspondent in me area. “Speedy Corsairs. Grumann and Hellcat fighters have the advantage over Zeros, and Americans and New Zealand pilots are having a right royal time.” he writes. “Often Japanese fighter pilots prefer to hide in the clouds rather than mix it—and when they do fight they are being shot down like ducks. For instance, 21 Corsairs which encountered 40 Zeros in a sweep over Ballale. Shortland Islands shot down 14 and damaged two without losing a plane themselves.” Ballale. which has been under repeated attacks by Admiral Halsey’s bombers, is a tiny flat island just large enough to accommodate an airstrip. It is an excellent proving ground for raw Allied pilots and bomb aimers. A Famous Division The correspondent of the New Zealand Press Association says that the Australian troops who drove the Japanese out of the Markham and Ramu Valleys in New Guinea are elements of the famous Seventh Division. A.I.F. They became Australia’s first airborne division and then reverted to “footsloggers.” The Seventh Division beat the Ninth Division into Lae by two hours after their landing from the air at Nadzab. They are commanded by Major-General George Vasey, who, after distinguishing himself in the Middle East, directed last year’s land offensive against the Japanese across the Owen Stanley range. In the present drive in the Rarnu Valley the general’s lean, erect figure is a familiar sight in the forward areas. He wears habitually his general’s cap with its bright red band and his impressive row of ribbons. “Major-General Vasey’s staff officers privately deplore the risks he takes,” writes an Australian war correspondent in New Guinea, "but his men admire him enormously.”