REST AT LAST FOR MARINES

Dominion, Volume 36, Issue 101, 23 January 1943, Page 5

REST AT LAST FOR MARINES

Army Leadership On Guadalcanal FORCES INCREASED LONDON, January 21. The United States Army has taken over on Guadalcanal Island to help to lake some of the strain off the marines, it was disclosed today by the Uniled States Secretary of War, Mr. Stimson. A United States Army statement issued later makes it clear that though the Army forces have been increased, there is still a large body of marines remaining on the island. Mr. Stimson said that in New Guinea there have been more casualties among the Australians than among tile Americans, but that Allied losses generally have been comparatively low. Major-General Alexander Patch is now in command on Guadalcanal, and most of the marines who made the original landing have left. ' The American Under-Secretary of War, Mr. Patterson, said today that the marines from Guadalcanal were now getting a much-needed rest. He explained that Major-General Patch’s relieving Major-General Vandergrift did not affect General Harmon’s general command (in the air) under ViceAdmiral Halsey. Enemy Destroyer Hit.

A Navy Department communique says that United States planes bombed the Japanese positions at Muiida on Tuesday. The results have not been reported. During the early' morning yesterday Flying Fortresses scored a bomb hit on a Japanese destroyer off Cape Friendship, the easternmost tip of Bougainville Island. , , „, . Flying Fortresses, escorted by fighters, attacked two enemy cargo ships and two destroyers in the Shortland Island area. A number of enemy Zeros and floattype biplanes intercepted the attack, eight of them being shot down. No hits on the enemy ships were observed. One United States fighter was lost and several Fortresses damaged. During this morning, Marauder medium bombers dropped bombs on the Japanese positions at Munda. The results were not observed.