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Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 88, Issue 7, 10 January 1944, Page 5

ing a rout. ‘‘As all land avenues of esqape are closed the only possible exit for the trapped Japanese is by barges, which must run the blockade of Allied patrol craft,” writes the Christian Science Monitor’s war correspondent, Gordan Walker. "However, reports that evacuation from Sio has begun show the Japanese prefer the patrol craft to Australian tanks and bayonets. Even an attempted evacuation from Sio may be harried in a few days by the Australians forcing their way through the jungle.” General MacArthur's week-end communiques report the heavy destruction of Japanese barges in the Sio area. The biggest bag was made on Wednesday and Thursday, when Kittyhawks destroyed or made unserviceable 13 barges. Further toll of Japanese shipping has been taken by Allied aircraft operating in the South-west Pacific area. The main destruction was near Madang, northern New Guinea, where Catalinas at night sank a 5000-ton enemy tanker and left a 1500-ton ship in flames.

At Kavieng, New Ireland, which has , now been attacked on 17 successive days, other Catalinas bombed a destroyer and a cargo ship. e Allied Solomons-based fighters continue their offensive sweeps over Rabaul, New Britain. Ten Zeros were shot down and four others probably destroyed in the latest combat. Other Corsairs destroyed two troop-laden barges in Blanche Bay, killing or wounding about 100 Japanese. Two of ! our planes were lost SUNK IN PACIFIC TEN JAPANESE SHIPS Recd. 8 p.m. Washington, Jan. 8. United States submarines have sunk ten more enemy ships in the Pacific and Far East. The Navy communique lists them as follows: A large freighter, a medium-sized transport, a large tanker, five medium freighters and two small freighters. A Pacific Fleet communique reports that Seventh Air Force heavy bombers struck at Taroa and Motje last Thursday. No fighter opposition vas encountered and all the bombers returned undamaged. CARRIER STRENGTH TO CARRY ALLIES TO JAPAN Recd. 11 p.m. New York, Jan. 9. Air power plays a leading part m the over-all strategy for the defeat of Japan, high Army and Navy officials told a semi-private conference of industrialists and Labour leaders. America’s rapidly-growing carrier strength will be approximately doubled within a few months. Nothing can stop the carrier offensive when it begins. General Holcomb, retired Marines commandant, defended Pacific Islandhopping. He said the Allies must converge on Japan from all directions, one of which lies along the chain of islands leading directly to Japan’s front door. The United Nations are going from island to island until the outskirts ol Japan are finally reached, but certain amphibious operations are necessary in preparation for hitting Japan’s greatest bastions. The Allies will take as many islands as they need with the least possible expenditure in men, time and material. Vice-Admiral McCain, deputy chief of Naval Air Operations, said Colonel Knox's recent statement that the United States had over 40 aircraftcarriers represented only a fraction of the potential ’carrier strength. HELP FROM DOMINIONS Recd. 7.30 p.m. London, Jan. 8. Admiral Lord Louis Mountbatten’s South-east Asia Command is depending on Australia and New Zealand for important military supplies, members of the Eastern Group Supply Council, who have been conferring with Commonwealth military, munitions and supply officials, said here. “Any help given by Australia and New Zealand to the jjorces based on India is a definite contribution to the defeat of the common enemy,” said the chairman of the delegation. Major Elliot. "It will contribute to that end just as effectively as if given forces based on your own Southern Pacific areas.”