BIZARRE BATTLE

Evening Star, Issue 24289, 2 September 1942, Page 5

BIZARRE BATTLE

IiULNE BAY OPEBATIONS WAR CORRESPONDENT S ACCOUNT SYDNEY, September 1. The first eye-witness account of the Allied victory at Milne Bay came from the only war correspondent on the spot, Mr Walter Lucas, of tho London ‘ Daily Express.’ He was in the Milne Bay area when the enemy attack began, and he stayed there until Sunday morning, when ho returned to an Australian base. The first phase of tho battle, ho reports, consisted of an attack by a swarm of Zero fighters, which pounced down from low clouds on patrolling Kittyhawks. This sally cast the Japanese five planes. The same evening tho Japanese landed on ±he north-east coast. Mr Lucas attached himself to a tough Australian patrol. “ Tho land units moved in complete silence,” he said, “ with the troops manoeuvring stealthily for position in tho dense jungle a few miles from the landing point. It was a bizarre battle. J reached Australia on Monday without having seen a single Japanese. I heard much bombing and saw much air activity, but apart from artillery explosions and the sounds of machinegun fire I saw no signs of land fighting.” Mr Lucas says the Japanese evidently did not expect to meet with resistance. The first landing party, comprising about 500 troops, brought ashore medium tanks and Sin mortars. They started down a track towards GiligiH, the soldiers chattering and laughing. They received a shock when, about 400yds down the track, an Australian patrol opened fire. The tanks immediately switched on their searchlights, while the troops disappeared into the jungle on each side of the track. The party had native guides. On the second day our air force was very active. Bombers destroyed nine landing barges and set fire to supply dumps, while fighters strafed the tree-tops for snipers and dropped anti-personnel bombs. Three enemy tanks were destroyed in desultory jungle clashes, and the enemy were compelled to retire. “ Next night Japanese warships revisited the bay and ineffectually shelled the jungle for three to four hours. They departed after landing further men and supplies. Meanwhile the Japanese troops in the jungle came to life, and in patrol clashes advanced Australian units often found themselves cut off. JAPS. USE OLD TRICKS. “ The Japanese used the same old tricks in the jungle blackness in order to advance. Commands were shouted in perfect English, and one Australian unit almost fell into a serious ambush. It was war against an almost invisible army. Short, sharp bursts of machinegun fire were the only sounds breaking long periods of silence, giving tho whole battle a macabre quality. “ One Japanese cruiser and eight destroyers were seen approaching through torrential rain on Saturday afternoon. During Saturday night no sound was heard except an occasional burst ’of gunfire, blanketed and ghostly through the mists. Not a_ single light shone in our lines. Smoking was forbidden, and it was certain death to wander in the darkness. Dawn revealed that the bay was cleared of ships, while an early morning reconnaissance showed no enemy anywhere.” According to Mr Lucas, the Austral lian casualties are not likely to be high. The enemy appeared to take most of their dead and ivounded with them. Probably the enemy_ cruiser and destroyers arrived to extricate the Japanese Jand forces from a position they regarded as untenable. ENEMY MOVE FORESEEN SURROUNDED BY AUSTRALIANS NEW YORK, August 31. The ‘New York Times,’ in a leader, says: “The Japanese have talien another hard blow in the defeat at Milne Bay. , Their landing was an attemp partly to retrieve their expulsion from Tulagi by establishing a new bridgehead for a two-way offensive against Port Moresby, and eventually Australia itself. Now that the Japanese have been driven into the sea they have lost the initiative in the New Guinea area and the waters washing its eastern shore. “ A Japanese base at Milne Bay would command the approaches to Rabaul, threaten Torres Strait, and menace Port Moresby, but General MacArthur foresaw these strategic possibilities even more clearly than the enemy. When the Japanese landed troops.and tanks on the beaches they were already surrounded by Australian veterans hidden in the undergrowth at the foot of the mountains. Tho invaders hoped to take advantage of the tropical storms which kept our planes away, but they marched into a trap.” Yesterday the Tokio radio broadcast pleasant items about an art exhibition at _ the capital and a new Japanese swimming record, but there has been no reference to Milne Bay. JOY IN AUSTRALIA CHECK TO ARROGANT, PITILESS FOE UNIFIED COMMAND URGED SYDNEY, September 1. The Milne Bay victory has been described as “sending a fierce surge of joy throughout Australia.” Tho 1 Sydney Morning Herald’ says: “Transcending even the relief at tho removal of tho new enemy threat to Port Moresby, and thus to the mainland, is the feeling of stern satisfaction that the measure which the Japanese, arrogant and pitiless in their conquests, have meted to a succession of unprepared opponents has at last been dealt out to one of their landing forces in New Guinea.”

It is regarded as certain that the Japanese will throw new forces into the New Guinea struggle. Many observers suggest that the present fighting in New Guinea throws into bold relief the need for a unified command in the South-west Pacific.

Mr Byron Darnton, the ‘ New York Times ' war correspondent, emphasises the weaknesses of the system under which General MacArthur and ViceAdmiral Ghonnley operate as commanders in adjacent ureas. “ 1 do not say whether it should he General MaeArthur or Vice-Admiral Ghonnley who should receive the unified command, but somebody should,” says Mr Darnton.