WITH N.Z.E.F.

Dominion, Volume 37, Issue 17, 15 October 1943, Page 5

WITH N.Z.E.F.

Recent Fighting On Vella Lavella HARD GOING INLAND (Official War Correspondent, N.Z.HI.F.) AN ADVANCED PIACI'FIIC BAS®, - ’ September 25. The initial contingent of Dominion troops of tlie Third-New Zealand Division is already hunting the Japanese in the north-west corner of a junglecovered island in the Solomons. The area in which the New Zealanders landed was bombed by the enemy shortly after the landing had been effected, but there were no casualties and no damage was inflicted. Combined operations by strong, land patrols and seagoing landing. craft are exerting pressure on the remaining body of Japanese on the island. The. patrols are penetrating along the coastline, followed by troop-carrying craft, jumping from beach to beach. Bombed by Enemy.

After a night and a day spent in the area in which they landed, the New Zealand forces were bombed before dawn on the night of September 22, but there were no casualties. A patrol felt its way forward from a wide flat through sandy beaches, mangrove swamps and steep hill spurs to a point 4000 yards distant, where another large body of troops landed from the sea to establish beachheads. Further patrols are now pushing on and driving’the retreating enemy in the direction of a point where the main Japanese concentration has been observed. This point is only 6000 yards from a plantation where other New Zealanders are operating. . The operational area comprises high bush-covered country close to the shore on a coastline interspersed with numerous coves and some low-lying swampy ground. There are no roads and only occasional tracks in the region of the coconut plantation. This factor necessitates combined land and sea operations in which major forces and supporting arms can be summoned by patrols in the event of contact with powerful enemy forces. Hard going characterizes the operations

in the thick, tall forest inland. The many small bays and narrow beaches on which Japanese planes have been dropping supplies to their besieged troops now afford excellent areas for the New Zealanders as the Japanese leave them behind in their retreat.