TOUGH JOB

Wairarapa Times-Age, 27 November 1942, Page 4

TOUGH JOB

DIGGING OUT THE JAPANESE FROM NEW GUINEA COASTAL AREA. OBSERVATION BY AMERICAN COMMANDER. (Special Australian Correspondent.) (Received This Day, 12.40 p.m.) SYDNEY, This Day. "The American thrust against Buna, in which the Allies hoped for a quick victory, has turned into a serious campaign against a stubborn and skilful Japanese defence,” writes Don Caswell, an American United Press correspondent who has accompanied the United States forces in their drive. ‘Although the campaign has not been the quick movement we hoped for,” he adds, “I ani still confident that our careful preparation, superior manpower and outright personal courage will break the Japanese lines southeast of Buna within a few days. When I interviewed the commander of the American forces, he said: ‘This is turning into a tough job. It’s like a miniature Bataan in reverse —a small, wellprepared defensive force holding off a more powerful offensive. We will have to dig them out of their holes, Jan by Jap, tree by tree, machine-gun nest by machine-gun nest.’ ” Mr Caswell says the Japanese defensive position includes a deep chain of machine-gun nests and concrete pillboxes, thoroughly camouflaged byheavy jungle growth. “They- have, too, a superior knowledge of the terrain, trails, artillery ranges and natural defences of the Buna area, which had never been adequately surveyed on the ground before the war,” he observes. “Reinforcements apparently were landed just before the Americans attacked last Thursday. These reinforce-, ments are fit, well-trained and strongly equipped. The Japanese tactics fit perfectly into the northern New Guinea coast country, with its lush, verdant jungles, coconut groves and eight-feet kirakira grass. Men from forward patrols put it this way: ‘Three or four Japs may let a couple of hundred troops go through the jungle trails, waiting for officers. Then they kill as many as they - can, after which they throw fire-crackers and mortar shells all over the place, making you think the woods are full of them. The only way to find their nests is by working in twos and threes, with plenty of covering fire. The men in front draw the Japanese fire. Those behind blast the nests with grenades, tommy-guns and mortars. When you chase them out of their nests, they go up into the trees, strap themselves in and throw grenades down or snipe. The best thing we could have would be shotguns for cleaning them out of the trees.’ ”

Mr Caswell adds that Allied fighter cover is good, but the planes must come from the other side, of New Guinea and cannot be over Buna all the time. “The side that has planes overhead has air superiority,” he says. “Mostly it is the Allies.”