PLIGHT BECOMES WORSE

Timaru Herald, Volume CLV, Issue 22791, 15 January 1944, Page 5

PLIGHT BECOMES WORSE

Japanese At Sio

Attacks From Land And Sea

N.z.P.A.—Special Australian Correspondent (9.0 p.m.) SYDNEY. Jan. 14. Sio, the former Japanese supply base and barge staging point on the northern coast of Huon Peninsula, New Guinea, is being shelled by Australian artillery. More enemy troops have been killed trying to escape the Australian and American land blockade between Sio and Saidor. When three barges were sunk near Sio on Monday night, 90 Japanese were drowned. Two other barges were destroyed while loading troops and supplies at Sio. Using mainly 40 foot barges capable of carrying 100 men, the Japanese are endeavouring to sneak out of Sio under cover of darkness. Each of the three barges destroyed on Monday night was only partly loaded. The Allied light naval units which sunk the barges are maintaining vigilant day and night blockade of these coastal waters. Their efforts are reinforced by aircraft making daily reconnaissance sweeps for hidden barges and likely loading points Equipment Abandoned The fording of the difficult Kupugara river, four miles from Sio, by the main body of Australian troops is now well advanced, reports to-day’s communique from General MacArthur’s Headquarters. The cliffs on the Japanese held side of the river are 350 feet high. The retreating enemy forces had scaled these walls by means of native ladders made of vines and jungle timber and had destroyed them in their retreat. Before scaling the almost perpendicular cliffs in their retreat toward Sio, the Japanese finally abandoned all heavy stores. Boxes of ammunition, mines, medical supplies and new clothing had to be left. The anticipated strong enemy resistance in this area has not so far been met. Tire Japanese are evidently concentrating on escaping rather than fighting. With the Americans astride the land trails to the north, their sole slim hope is to get away in barges. Latest reports from Saidor say that the ground situation at the American beachhead is unchanged. Air Successes Further along the New Guinea coast, at Hansa Bay, a United States navy Catalina on Tuesday night left a 1000-ton enemy cargo ship in flames. The much pounded enemy base of Alexishafen was hit with another 104 tons of bombs on Wednesday. The jetty was among the targets destroyed. A Japanese destroyer near Kavieng (New Ireland) was damaged by a United States navy Catalina on Wednesday night. The warship, which was lifted out of the water by a near miss, was escorting a small convoy. Its anti-aircraft fire ceased. Solomons based torpedo and dive bombers with a fighter escort dropped 36 tons of bombs on Japanese installations at Cape St. George (New Ireland). One enemy fighter was shot down and four others were nrobably-destroyed. To-day’s communique from General MacArthur’s Headquarters makes no mention of fighting at Cape Gloucester (New Britain), but reports successful American ground attacks after artillery preparation on Japanese positions at Arawe.

“The presence of war correspondents in the front line has proved a real morale builder,’ said the Australian Army Minister (Mr F. M. Forde) to-day in a tribute to the work of war reporters in the South-west Pacific area.” Our troops know they are not forgotten in the jungle and that their efforts are being described to their folks at home,” added the Minister. “Forward correspondents have covered practically every major operation in New Guinea, moving and living with the troops.”