LIFE-SAVERS AID

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 20914, 14 October 1942, Page 2

LIFE-SAVERS AID

SWAM WITH WOUNDED BATTLE OF MILNE BAY ORDEAL IN*”THE JUNGLE (By Telegraph—Presa Assn. —Copyright.) (Special Australian Correspondent.) (1C.30 a.m.)' SYDNEY, Oct. 14. Because intense Japanese fire prevented small craft from putting in to the’ shorb, 1 former- Australian-life-savers at Milne' Bay swam out to’ the ships with'tfre wounded. ' This new : fact -about Japan’s first reverse in jNew -Guinea was revealed yesterday; ■ ' - ■ ’ 1 Militiamen (Australian home service troops) took the initial shock of the invasion ’on the night' of "August 26. Despite stern opposition 'the Japanese pushed on • steadily ’for- "sbm¥ days, their objective -'-(being the ’"airfield which ’at that timed was not •fully developed. Counter - attacks were made and three days arid mights of Ceaseless and bitter’ fighting followed. Two A.LF: ririits maintained unrelenting 'pressure' iiritil :! the''eneiriy, battered arid beaten, withdrew.‘’The Japanese 'fought' - fiercely thrOughririt and their land forces were'• backed naval " units which‘' by'might heavily shelled life foreshore and the adjacent hiiis. : ' l ' - -

For three weeks before operations commenced' 'Milne ''-Bay' 'had' beeri drenched- by heavy . arid almost continuous rain. The Australjflii' ‘Soldiers tell of ■ tramping ’ Through' mild-"’so heavy and viseo'us That’-' often-'-they had' to step out’ of their"’gumboot's before they could pull them out of the black, cloying bogs. - 11 The troops'had to wade swift-flowing -streams/-The roads could not be useql for any (type of wheeled transport and the riien'hnd to carry- every slrigld-itetn-of "equipment V Outflanking Attacks The first enemy landing was made by a force of about 700 but this rt’um> ber’ was later substantially'- reinforced. Once the eriemy began to be fpreed back he’established ..three main centres of resistance.-The Australians fought their way through each by outflanking methods. '' ‘ The’ 'Japanese countered by •' withdrawing eaohtime to "new where flesh Troops were' well' dug in, - This meant that the enemy’s' retreating force’ was progressively ghthdrtrig strength-"and • off feting The'’ AUSfffiJialrfs stronger opposition j Grbtlps ’of-soldiers Hiding in minor tracks off the ‘main track covered the' withdrawal" by attacking the Australians- ‘from the rear as they advanced. V/A • Progress was slow Since the Japanese'snipers had to He combed-out; tree by trefe.' It was reliably estimated that ‘at least 1000 JaphneseAvere -killed iff " Milne Bay. So fanatical were some enemy soldiers in-'Slieir' determination to kill thfe’ Australians-'that parties even swam ashore naked, arriri ed- only with ijriives and' baypriets/to majee surprise (.raid’s. / > •'• ■ Among the eriemy equipment captured' were belly tanks'Tor' Zero figiriers, hefiyy'‘mdchirie-guns' stijr' iri their " greaseproof' paber'"wrappings', rind' large quantities of medical "supplies.‘il>:;" •.