FIGHTING IN SOLOMONS

Southland Times, Issue 24830, 24 August 1942, Page 5

FIGHTING IN SOLOMONS

MARINES MOP-UP

(Rec. 6.30 p.m.) ' PEARL HARBOUR, August 21. A communique issued by Admiral Chester W. Nimitz, Com-mander-in-Chief of the Pacific Fleet, states that since the initial United States landings in . the Solomons a period of moppingup has been in progress in order to consolidate our positions. The Japanese defenders took to the hills and jungle to escape the American forces. “There have been daily skirmishes between Marine patrols and enemy detachments, in which both sides have suffered casualties,” states the communique. “On Wednesday the Marines wiped out a Japanese detachment of 92 officers and men who resisted to the last. The Marines lost six killed and 13 wounded. “On Thursday night the enemy landed a force of about 700 well-equipped troops from high-speed boats outside the Marines lines for an attempted break-through. During darkness only hand-to-hand fighting was possible, but at dawn the Marines were able to manoeuvre. While one battalion held ffie front line another battalion moved to the flank and drove the withdrawing Japanese to the beach. Of the 700 Japanese 650 were killed and the rest are prisoners. The Marines lost 28 killed and 72 wounded. OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT “The Marines in the Solomons, under Major-General Alexander Vandegrift, added another page to history with their outstanding achievement.” Another communique issued by Admiral Nimitz says: “A Marine force of the United States Pacific Fleet made a successful landing on Makin Island on August 17 to destroy the installations at this enemy seaplane base. The purpose was accomplished in its entirety 1 and the force was withdrawn. At least 80 Japanese were killed. Radio stores and installations were destroyed, two seaplanes were destroyed on the water and other losses were inflicted on the enemy by heavy bombing by their own aircraft from other bases which were attempting to assist them. Our ships gunned and sank a small transport and one gunboat. Considering the nature of the operation our force suffered only moderate losses. Commander John M. Haines, U.S.N., commanded the expedition. The Marines were led by Lieu-tenant-Colonel Evans F. Carlson, with Major James Roosevelt, who is a son of the President, as second-in-command. None of these officers is on the casualty list.”

“A GOOD BEGINNING”

Use Of Occupied Islands

(Rec. 6.30 p.m.) NEW YORK, August 22. Major George Fielding Eliot emphasizes in The New York Herald Tribune that the American successes in the Solomons are no more than a good beginning. It now remains to utilize the occupied islands for further offensive operations.

The next United States move is likely to be directed against Bougainville, where the Japanese at present are in considerable strength, but even Bougainville would be only a second step in an operation which must include within its objectives all Japanese positions on the north-east coast of New Guinea and the Bismarck and Admiralty Islands.

“Until these points are retaken we cannot consider that our situation has decisively improved in the southwestern Pacific,” he states. “Not until then will we eliminate the Japanese from every base from which they can threaten Port Moresby and the cities and seaports on the east coast of Australia.”

BOMBING OF RABAUL

Allies Attack Aerodrome

(Rec. 8.45 p.m.) SYDNEY, August 23. After a lull of several days Allied heavy bombers on Saturday made a heavy raid on the main Japanese southward base at Rabaul. Eight tons of bombs were dropped in a night attack on an enemy aerodrome when the runways and buildings were hit and fires were started. There was no attempt by enemy nightfighters to intercept our planes. A light attack was also made on an enemy aerodrome at Lae, in New Guinea. Bombs were dropped in the aircraft dispersal area. The results were not observed.

On Friday, for the sixth consecutive day, Allied medium bombers kept up their pounding of Timor. They again struck Maobisse, the target for Thursday’s attack. Bombs landed on a crossroads and in the building area, where fires were started. Three Zero fighters intercepted our formation, one being shot down over the sea in a running fight. The Allies also lost one plane. The comparative calm which has settled in the South-West Pacific area during the past week is regarded as having a spurious quality. There is no further news of the land fighting in the Kokoda sector, but it has been announced that Australian militiamen have distinguished themselves in clashes with Japanese patrols. JAPANESE SHIPS SUNK (Rec. 7 p.m.) WASHINGTON, Aug. 22. A Navy Department communique reported the following results in operations in Far Eastern waters:— Two large cargo ships sunk. One destroyer damaged and possibly sunk. One large transport sunk. One medium-sized cargo ship damaged. These actions are not related to the

operations in the Solomons. A submarine reported sinking a large Japanese merchantman in the Aleutian area. These actions have not been announced in any previous communique.