BIAK ISLAND
Fanatical Enemy Resistance N.Z.P.A. —Special Australian Correspondent (Rec. 6.30 p.m.) SYDNEY, July 2. Yap, the Japanese bastion in the Western Carolines, had its heaviest raid last Wednesday. For the fifth time in a week, South-west Pacific Command Liberators made the 2000-mile round flight to attack Yap. In spite of opposition by 29 fighters, they dropped 63 tons of bombs in 11 minutes. Eight enemy fighters were shot down, while bombs fell among 12 planes parked on the airfield. No Liberators were lost. Adverse weather has hampered air activity in this theatre, and General MacArthur’s week-end communique reports only limited operations. Casualty figures just released reveal the fanatical nature of the resistance by the Japanese garrison of Biak Island in Geelvink Bay, Dutch New Guinea. Japanese killed totalled 2878 up to Wednesday, but only 15 prisoners were taken. American casualties have been about 10 per cent of those inflicted on the enemy. The fierce defiance on Biak suggests that the Allies are meeting more seasoned enemy formations as they move closer to objectives vital to the Japanese.
Permanent link to this item
https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/THD19440703.2.62
Bibliographic details
Timaru Herald, Volume CLVI, Issue 22934, 3 July 1944, Page 5
Word Count
178BIAK ISLAND Timaru Herald, Volume CLVI, Issue 22934, 3 July 1944, Page 5
Using This Item
Stuff Ltd is the copyright owner for the Timaru Herald. You can reproduce in-copyright material from this newspaper for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons BY-NC-SA 3.0 New Zealand licence. This newspaper is not available for commercial use without the consent of Stuff Ltd. For advice on reproduction of out-of-copyright material from this newspaper, please refer to the Copyright guide.
Log in