BEACH-HEAD CLASH

Dominion, Volume 37, Issue 201, 23 May 1944, Page 5

BEACH-HEAD CLASH

Japanese Assaults In Dutch New Guinea SMASHED AFTER TWO DAYS (By Telegraph.—l’rese Ae s>u. —Copyright.) (Special Australian Correspondent.) (Received May 22, 11 p.m.) SYDNEY, Muy 22. Fierce Japanese counter-attacks on the western perimeter of the American beach-head on the Sanni coast of Dutch New Guinea have been smashed after two days of bitter lighting. Enemy forces tried to destroy the Americans’ bridgehead across the Tor River. So far, 111 of their dead have been counted. This action, which was fought on Friday and Saturday, was the Americans’ first major dash on the mainland with the Japanese since their -landings in -the Sarmi-Wakde Island area on Wednesday. The invasion troops speedily advanced five miles west from their lauding point at Arara to Tor River and established a bridgehead across the river against only slight opposition. But the Japanese then opposed the Americans in strength. They made a particularly strong counter-attack before dawn on Saturday, employing mortars, machineguns, and grenades. Kittyhawk fighterbombers which are giving close support to the American ground forces, assisted to smash the attack. Later reports said that on Saturday afternoon the bridgehead was still under enemy machinegun and sniper fire. General MacArthur’s communique reporting this action says that the tally of Japanese dead ou nearby Wa.kde Island has now risen to 676. To wipe out an enemy garrison which refused to surrender, the Americans had to storm an intricate network ‘of concrete and coconut log bunkers. At the Hollandia and Aitape beach-heads, which were established on April 22, enemy casualties now total 3042. In scattered patrol actions not previously reported 436 Japanese were killed and 45 taken prisoner. In spite of the unusually high number, of prisoners taken in these areas. New Guinea war correspondents report that only about one in 10 of the Japanese remnants fails to fight to the death. Patrols Probe Forward.

American patrols from Aitape now control about 80 miles of coastline, having penetrated 30 miles to the west toward Hollandia, and 50 miles to the east toward Wewak. The latter area, where many thousands of Japanese troops area believed to be concentrated, is under incessant air attack. General MacArthur’s bombers, with fighter escorts, have also maintained their strikes against Japanese bases in western Dutch New Guinea. At Manokwari on Friday, five coastal vessels averaging about 1000 tons, were destroyed. A Solomons-based Liberator patrolling over the western Carolines on Thursday destroyed nine float-planes at Lamotrek, where a fuel dump was also set on fire. At Nomoi, 540 miles to the east, an enemy freighter and an escort vessel were damaged by an air patrol which shot down one of four intercepting fighters.