SHATTERING BLOWS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 17 December 1942, Page 3

SHATTERING BLOWS

STRUCK AT JAPANESE IN LATEST LANDING ATTEMPT IN NEW GUINEA. LARGER PART OF FORCE DESTROYED. (Special Australian Correspondent.) SYDNEY, December 16. Remnants of Japanese landing parties at the Mambare and Kumusi estuaries, are still being attacked heavily by Allied aircraft. The shattering of the latest enemy operations at this northern New Guinea beachhead is dramatically described by reports coming to hand. It is confirmed that only a small part of the enemy force reached the shore safely, and that the larger proportion was killed in the water or on die beaches. > Japanese soldiers swimming out to sea in desperate efforts to salvage floating supplies, were killed by our strafing aircraft. The beach area was also bombed and raked with fire in an effort to wipe out the remainder. Again yesterday the aerial “timetable schedule” of -the previous day was in operation. On Monday,our planes made 112 sweeps, and the latest attacks against the beach area were on an equal scale. Many Japanese were incinerated when our aircraft set fire to 7ft. high grass on one of the islands of the Mambare delta. The village of Mamba, at the river mouth, was also raided. Twenty motor-boats, four lifeboats, and a number of rafts were used to bring the enemy troops ashore. These are believed to have been completely destroyed. Supplies were lashed together with petrol drums to be floated ashore. Many of these floating dumps were destroyed and others were carried out to sea. When our planes had completed their destruction the sea was dotted with blazing patches of oil and petrol. The water near the shore is described as “thick with the bodies of slaughtered Japanese.” Mambare rather than Kumusi appears to have been the chief enemy landing point. The beach here is fringed with a 500-yard wide strip of dry land backed by treacherous swamps. There is no further news of the Japanese cruiser and destroyer convoy which is believed to have fled for Gasmata in New Britain. Liberators and Fortresses on Tuesday attacked targets in this area. Of 12 Zeros which engaged the Fortresses, three were shot down and two others were heavily damaged. No reliable estimate can yet be foi> med of the size of the problem which the latest enemy landing 18 miles north-west of Buna presents to the Allies. But it is felt that the Japanese will have to land more troops and more supplies if they are to establish an effective new barrier in the way of the eventual Allied northward drive against Lae and Salamaua. The heightened security given the movement of naval forces during the rainy reason makes it likely that further landings will be attempted during the next few months.

SURVIVING REMNANT MAY NUMBER THOUSAND MEN. t RELENTLESS ALLIED AIR ATTACKS. LONDON, December 16. In New Guinea probably about 1000 Japanese have managed to scramble ashore half-way between Buna and Lae. Allied planes are giving them no respite and are bombing and machine-gunning their positions. There is still a pocket of fierce enemy resistance less than a mile from Buna. ' BUNA GARRISON AT LEAST 300 JAPANESE KILLED. FIERCE FIGHTING CONTINUES. (By Telegraph—(Press Association— Copyright) SYDNEY, December 16. Japanese forces believed to number at least 300 were annihilated when American troops captured Buna village according to war correspondents renorts. Fierce fighting still rages in the area of the Japanese Papuan beach-head. General MacArthur s communique today reports heavy pressure in all sectors.” One New- Guinea correspondent states that the Allied troops are supported b v 14 Bren-gun carriers whose arrival on the battle scene proved an unpleasant surprise for the enemy. However, the swampy nature of the ground restricts offensive use of these light armoured fighting vehicles. . Allied progress is said to be proving most, difficult at Sanananda. While enemy efforts to prolong the Papuan campaign are likely to .meet with some success in this sector, it is improbable that the Japanese in the Buna mission and the airstrin area can long withstand the Allied pressure The only communication between these two Remaining enemy salients is by water at 11 While Allied aircraft aga in attacked Lae, Port Moresby had its 93rd Japanese raid . This was made bv a single enemy night bomber and no damage was done.