ISLAND BATTLES

Wairarapa Times-Age, 29 September 1942, Page 3

ISLAND BATTLES

JAPANESE BEATEN BACK ON GUADALCANAR MARINES REPEL REPEATED ASSAULTS. EVERY ENEMY MOVE THWARTED. (By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright) NEW YORK, September 27. Describing the fighting during midSeptember when the Japanese made an unsuccessful land assault in Guadalcanal’, the United Press correspondent, Robert Miller, writing from Marine Headquarters in the Solomons on September 14, states: “The determined Japanese air, naval and land assault, which has been repulsed with heavy losses, was aimed at the capture of Henderson Field, the aerial base on Guadalcanal-. Japanese fighters and bombers attempted to soften the marine garrison for the attack, while Japanese naval units rendered artillery support.

“Simultaneously, a three-pronged attack was launched by many hundred veteran Japanese soldiers, specially equipped for jungle fighting. The land action raged till today, when the Japanese, repulsed in the hand-to-hand fighting, retreated through the jungles to positions along the east and west ends of Guadalcanal - , where they previously landed at night time. “Over a considerable period our men thwarted every Japanese move. Marine and naval planes met the increased tempo of air attacks by destroying 16 twin-engined bombers, 10 Zeros, and four float and nine reconnaissance planes. Our shore batteries effectively replied to the Japanese cruisers and destroyers which shelled the coast. “The marines were sometimes out-’ numbered ten to one, but they finally forced the enemy to retire. The marines’ losses were mostly wounded. “The marines repulsed repeated assaults against the vital Lunga Ridge, on the north-eastern side of the island, which was the main avenue of approach to Henderson Field, down which the Japanese planned to move. “A severe drubbing which was given the Japanese prior to the attack threw the entire operation out of line. A marine raid on September 8 had destroyed a large amount of Japanese arm's and equipment which had been landed 30 miles down tne coast, severely handicapping the Japanese. The forces concentrating on the western tip of Guadalcanal- were hit simultaneously by planes, which destroyed 16 launches loaded with infantrymen, preventing the majority from landing. Another attack 24 hours later destroyed the remainder of the beached launches, crippling the enemy troops which planned to push from the west to attack our right flank and seriously weakening them before they started. “The Japanese main attack was launched on the night of September 13 against marines holding the rear three / miles from the aerodrome. Preceded by smoke clouds, with which they tiled to screen their advance, the Japanese ran forward, yelling ‘Gas attack! The ruse failed, and the Japanese were beaten off. JJhe marines fell back from the advanced ridge to consolidated posi-> lions, where they halted attack after attack, littering the ridges with enemy dead. The futile;' Japanese charges were met with machine-gun fire and grenades. “Finally, at dawn, the Japanese had had enough, and they withdrew, leaving the battlefield strewn with scores of i their dead.”