HEROES OF MILNE BAY

Dominion, Volume 36, Issue 16, 14 October 1942, Page 5

HEROES OF MILNE BAY

Australian Militiamen (By Telegraph.—Press Assn.— Copyright.)

(Special Australian Correspondent.) (Received October 13, 11 p.m.)

SYDNEY, October 13

Because intense Japanese fire prevented small craft putting into the shore, former Australian life savers at Milne Bay swam out to the ships with wounded. This new fact about Japan’s first New Guinea reverse is revealed today.

Militiamen (Australian home service troops) took the initial shock of the invasion on the night of August 26. In spite of stern opposition, the Japanese pushed on steadily for some days, their objective being the airfield which at that time was not fully developed. Counter attacks were made and three days and nights of ceaseless, bitter, fighting followed. Two A.I.F. units maintained unrelenting pressure till the enemy, battered and beaten, withdrew. The Japanese fought fiercely throughout and their land forces were backed by naval units which by night heavily shelled the foreshore and adjacent hills.

For three weeks before the operations began, Milne Bay had been drenched by heavy and! almost continuous' rain. Australian soldiers tell of tramping through mud so heavy and viscous that often they had to step out of their gumboots before they could pull them out of the black, cloying bogs. The troops had to wade swiftflowing streams. The roads could not be used for any type of wheeled transport and! the men had to carry every single item of equipment. Stubborn Enemy Resistance. The first enemy landing was made by a force of about 700, but this number was later substantially reinforced. Once the enemy began to be forced back, he established three main centres of resistance. The Australians fought their way through each by outflanking methods. The Japanese countered by withdrawing each time to new prepares positions -where fresh troops were well dug in. This meant that the enemy s retreating force was progressively gathering strength and offering the Australians stronger opposition. . « Groups of soldiers hiding in minor tracks off th.e main track covered the withdrawal by attacking the Australians from the rear as they advanced. Progress was slow, since Japanese snipers had to be combed out tree by tree. It was reliably estimated that, at least 1000 Japanese were killed at Milne Bay. So fanatical were some enemy soldiers in their determination to kill the Australians that parties even swam ashore naked, armed only with knives and bayonets to make surprise raids. Among the enemy equipment captured were belly tanks for Zero . fighters, heavy machineguns still in their greaseproof paper wrappings and large quantities of medical supplies.