JAPS ESCAPE

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 87, Issue 204, 30 August 1943, Page 5

JAPS ESCAPE

FLED FROM NEW GEORGIA U.S. FORCES’ OCCUPATION OF BAIROKO HARBOUR (Special Australian Correspondent—N.Z.P.A.) Recd. 7.30 p.m. Sydney, Aug. 29. American forces have occupied Bajroko Harbour, the last Japanese stronghold on New Georgia Island, Central Solomons. Occupation was made last Thursday unopposed. The Japanese apparently had escaped bv night in small craft, probably to Kolombangara Island, 15 miles north across the Kula Gulf. General MacArthur’s communique says all organised resistance on New Georgia has ceased. The campaign for New Georgia was thus completed .in 59 days. I An Australian war correspondent in I the area sug;*sts that its successful conclusion implies a satisfactory decision in the battle for the entire SoloImons. Japan’s onsratipnal bases in |the group are now restricted to the Bougainville area. The enemy garriison of possibly 8000 men on KolomIbangara Island is closely blockaded and. faces eventual starvation. The smaller garrisons on Choiseul and Santa Ysabel Islands can be ignored. “Bougainville can be neutralised from the air, and although it is the final stepping-stone in the Solomons chain it may be unnecessary to occupy it before launching an all-out assault on the enemy’s key Southern Pacific base of Rabaul,” writes the war correspondent. A spokesman at Admiral HSlsey’s headquarters says the Japanese over a period of time may be

able to evacuate part of their beleaguered Kolombangara garrison by the use of small boats at night, but they would run the gauntlet of Allied naval craft which had already intercepted and sank manv evacuation boats. He added that the plight of the Japanese on Kolombangara was worst? than the Kiska (Aleutians) garrison, which had also been evacuated. Just as the American occupation of Attu cut the enemy’s supply line to Kiska, so the American occupation of Vella Lavella cut. shis supply line to Kolombangara. The last Japanese leaving New Georgia abandoned, a considerable quantity of equipment, including vehicles. They also left behind a plentiful supply of food. The American forces occupying Bairoko advanced from Munda Airfield (south), captured three weeks ago, and Enogai Inlet (north). Strong defences had been prepared by the Japanese at Bairoko, probably as a prelude to a desperate last stand—but at the last minute the defenders stole away without firing a shot. Their outposts had offered bitter resistance to the American drives.

Baanga Island flanking the American positions at Munda, and eight smaller islands west of Baanga have also been occupied by the Allied force*.'. In New Guinea the battle for the Japanese base of Salamaua is moving steadily toward the climax. The latest despatches indicate that Australian forward units are infiltrating into the enemy's defence positions from the west. Japanese strong-points are still established on Malolo Ridge, a dominating razor-back about five miles from the Salamaua airstrip. Eight enemv troops were killed in the newest Australian attacks on these posts. Other Australian forces already hold strong positions commanding the air-