DOOMED JAPANESE

Wairarapa Times-Age, 25 May 1944, Page 3

DOOMED JAPANESE

THOUSANDS IN FLIGHT FROM HOLLANDIA STRAGGLING DEMORALISED THROUGH JUNGLE. MOUNTING ALLIED AIR ATTACKS ON 1.100 MILE FRONT. (Special Australian Correspondent.) SYDNEY, May 24. Driven by American invasion forces, thousands of Japanese are fleeing from the 1-lollandia area of New Guinea. A great number of them will certainly die. An Australian patrol, led by a young captain, who was a New Guinea resident before the war. tracked enemy remnants as they straggled westward “We saw thousands of them —beaten and demoralised —struggling along rough jungle tracks." he reported. “There was no order. They straggled along like sheep, They posted no sentries. There is practically nd food in that country, but none of them carried mere than 12 hours’ rations. I do not think 10 per cent, of them will survive.’

Attacking the last of the escaping Japanese, an Australian patrol of eight men killed 52. No Australian was lost. Other enemy stragglers round Hollandia. driven by hunger, are coming in to surrender to the Americans. Many Japanese have surrendered to natives. Following the Japanese occupation and systematic looting of the area, many natives fled to the mountains and jungle. but they are now returning to rebuild their villages. Allied bombers and fighters are intensifying their attacks against Japanese airfields, troop concentrations and ground positions along the 1100-mile front in New Guinea and New Britain. General MacArthur’s aerial offensive is pounding targets.extending from Manokwari, in western Dutch New Guinea, to Rabaul. in New Britain. With the Wakde Island airfield now in full operations. Allied bombers are foTcefully implementing plans to eliminate the remaining enemy aerodromes in the far north-western areas of Dutch New Guinea.

In British New Guinea, pressure on the strong Japanese forces trapped o.n the Wewak-Hansa Bay sector is being steadily increased as American troops press clown the coast from their Aitape beach-head and Australians continue to drive up the coast from Alexishafen. These enemy forces are also being subjected to daily bombing and strafing. Further attacks on airfields at Wewak indicate that the Japanese have again been endeavouring to get these into service.

Bombers based on the Admiralty Islands raided Truk, in the Carolines. 725 miles to the north.