ISLANDS INVADED

Waikato Times, Volume 195, Issue 22467, 30 September 1944, Page 5

ISLANDS INVADED

PELEW GROUP ATTACKS MOPPING=UP PROCEEDING WIDESPREAD BOMB RAIDS (Received Sept. 30, 1 p.m.) WASHINGTON, Sept. 29 Elements of the First Division of Marines landed on Ngesebus and Kongauru Islands, north of Peleliu on Friday, says a Pacific Fleet communique. Heavy shelling from cruisers and destroyers and bombing from carrier-based aircraft preceded the assault. Light enemy opposition was speedily overcome. “Ngesebus Island is completely secure,” the communique adds. “Our troops are mopping up scattered enemy forces occupying a small portion of Kongauru Island. “Marines and infantry continued to drive the enemy from the remaining positions on Peleliu Island. Our forces drove south on Umorbroga hill and all the northern arm of the island has been secured except the pinnacle of an unnamed hill and a small area on the eastern coast. “Infantry are cleaning out caves and pillboxes on the north-west tip of Angaur Island, where a few enemy troops remain.” In Search of Ships The communique reports that Liberators bombed naval installations on Chichi Jima Island on September 27 and started fires, and on Iwo Jima airfield on September 26. Enemyheld Marianas islands were subjected to further neutralisation attacks on September 26 and 27. Wake Island was bombed on September 25, Nauru on September 26 and Jaluit, Wotje, Mili, Maloelap and the southern tip of Paramushiro on the same day. Liberators flew over Truk in search of enemy shipping attempting to supply the isolated garrison but no shipping was found and the bombloads were dropped on installations still remaining. Six small freighters and a number of barges ha-ve been dest*;yed or damaged by General MacArthur’s aircraft in strikes which covered the southern Philippines, Borneo, Celebes, the Moluccas and the Ceram— Boeroe areas. A barge sunk near Halmahera was carrying Japanese personnel.

No further news of the ground operations in Albania is available. An Allied Mediterranean communique says: The weather restricted air operations yesterday, but attacks v'ere carried out on enemy troops and positions in the battle area, objectives in northern Greece, Albania and Yugoslavia', and shipping in the Gulf of Genoa and the Adriatic. The Allies flew about 550 sorties for the loss of one plane.