BUNA STORMED

Wairarapa Times-Age, 16 December 1942, Page 3

BUNA STORMED

AMERICANS BURST THROUGH ENEMY DEFENCES VILLAGE COMPLETELY OCCUPIED NEW LANDING ATTEMPTS BY JAPANESE. SOME TROOPS GOT ASHORE AT HEAVY COST. (By Telegraph—'Press Association— Copyright) SYDNEY, December 15. Buna village, one of the last three strongpoints in the Japanese beachhead in Papua, lias been completely occupied by American troops. Following a shattering mortar barrage, they burst through the enemy’s defences and by 10 o’clock on Monday morning the village was in their hands. A major Japanese attempt to reinforce their doomed Papuan garrison has been smashed by Allied air forces. Hundreds of enemy dead have been washed ashore following two-day attacks on a cruiser and destroyer convoy off the mouths of the Kumusi and Mambare rivers north of Gona. The Japanese undoubtedly succeeded in getting ashore some troops and sup-, plies, but the effort was made only at terrible cost. The number of enemy troops landed has not been officially estimated, but it is not considered that they constitute any grave, menace to the Allied forces in Papua. WARSHIPS DRIVEN OFF. The Kumusi estuary is 18 miles northwest of Buna and Mambare is a further 24 miles along the coast. Enemy troops who landed, therefore, will have a long trek to join the Japanese garrison at Sanananda, and they will find the way blocked by Allied forces. They may, however, attempt to open up a second Papuan beachhead. The convoy of two cruisers and three destroyers made the landing attempt and was attacked throughout Sunday and Monday. Direct hits and near misses are claimed on the warships, which were finally scattered and withdrew to the north. No sinkings of naval units are claimed. Allied bombers, attack planes and fighters ran a shuttle service over the landing area. Many troop-laden ..barges were destroyd and their occupants drowned. Supply dumps on the beach are reported to have been converted into a “holocaust of blazing stores, exploding ammunition and burning fuel.” The convoy was first sighted off Madang, on the north New Guinea coast, early on Sunday. As it came down the coast, Flying Fortresses and Liberators damaged the warships with near misses. However, bad wether with heavy rainstorms helped to hide the convoy and landing operations were conducted on Sunday night, the vessels standing some miles off-shore from the Kumusi and Mambare estuaries. At dawn on Monday Allied armen launched vicious attacks and throughout the day Fortresses, Havocs, Airacobras, and Beaufighters were over the area. The enemy was given no respite, and by late afternoon most of the Japanese barges, well laden with supplies, are believed to have been destroyed. Explosions and fires occurred on the barges as well as among supply dumps ashore, and today's communique from General MacArthur’s headquarters claims that a “major enemy effort was largely parried.'”- One large group of about 20 barges was consumed in the sea fire. When the Japanese attempted to swim ashore, our airmen machinegunned and set on fire barrels of oil floating in the sea, so that the swimmers certainly perished. Fifteen Zeros attempted to drive off our planes, but they werp unsuccessful. Two Zeros as well as one enemy bomber were shot down. Over New Britain, two more Zeros were destroyed when they attempted to intercept an Allied reconnaissance unit. DESPERATE EFFORTS MADE BY THE ENEMY. TO GAIN NEW FOOTHOLDS IN PAPUA. LONDON, December 15. The capture of Buna has isolated the Japanese troops at the Buna Mission and airfield and at Sanananda Point. Now that the Japanese have lost Buna and Gona, they are trying desperately to gain new footholds on the north coast of Papua. Reuter’s correspondent says the enemy may have been able to establish small beachheads further up the coast at the mouths of two rivers 18 miles and 42 miles north-west of Buna. It is possible that these Japanese troops are survivors from the convoy which tried to land reinforcements at Buna. An American Navy Department communique states that American aircraft continues to attack Japanese installations and an airfield which is being constructed in the Munda area, in New Georgia Island.