JAP DEFENCES

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 87, Issue 1, 2 January 1943, Page 5

JAP DEFENCES

SPLIT BY AMERICANS AT BUNA MISSION FIERCE FIGHTING AT SANANANDA (Special Australian Correspondent— N.Z.P.A.l (Recd. 9.25 p.m.) Sydney. Jan. 1. The American forces have sp it the Japanese defences in tic Buna Mission area and have driven a wedge right to the sea. Each part of the divided enemy forces is now squeezed between Allied troop;, lhe Americans hold several hundred yards of the beach in the area, a.d mopping up Is proceeding in the new corridor.

This latest hard-won success gives point to the brief New Year statement by General MacArthur, who said: “1 have every hope that in the near future we shall close the Papua campaign with a decisive victory.” Driving a wedge through the Japa-nese-held coconut groves proved a difficult operation and was carried out only by what General MacArthur's communique described as "tireless local assaults." Scores ’of enemy snipers were posted in palms and the area was studded with machine-gun emplacements. Stuart tanks assisted in further attacks which resulted in the capture of much enemy equipment, including 3in. naval guns and anti-aircraft guns.

Although the Allies have marked superiority in artillery, as in other arms, the Japanese artillerymen put up a formidable resistance. Several enemy gun crews were wiped out when one Japanese gun was under fire for more than an hour. As each lot of gunners was killed they were renlaced by men from nearby foxholes. War correspondents in the Buna area believe the Japanese infantrymen would have given up the hopeless struggle some time ago had it not been for the fanaticism of the marine troops who reinforced them. Japanese officers are understood to have threatened to shoot any of their men who gave way in the face of the Allied assaults.

The close nature of the fighting around Buna restricted direct Allied air support, but our planes have been active over the Japanese Sanananda fortress area, where fierce fighting flared up around enemy strongpoints along the track from Soputa.