UNDER PRESSURE

Wairarapa Times-Age, 9 October 1943, Page 3

UNDER PRESSURE

KALOMBANGARA BASE '■ apparently abandoned BY JAPANESE EVACUATION COSTS MANY ENEMY LIVES (Special Australian Correspondent.) SYDNEY, October 8. Vila, the main Japanese base on Kolombangara Island in the central Solomons, has apparently been abandoned by the enemy. General MacArthur’s latest communique describes desperate Japanese efforts to evacuate troops. This evacuation, made by barge and small warship, has been in progress for several nights under the harrying attention of Allied naval units and aircraft. It is officially claimed that many barges have been sunk and .that the Japanese suffered great loss of life. Reporting the evacuation, General MacArthur’s communique says: “The cutting of the supply line supporting the enemy forces at Vila, accomplished several weeks ago by our surprise occupation of Vella Lavella to the north, thus outflanking all the sea supply routes, has forced the enemy to attempt to evacuate his troops from Kolombangara. Vila and the southern, part of the island have apparently already been abandoned. Troops are moving toward the northern shores. “For the past several nights, by barge and small warship, attempts .. at evacuation have been progressing. Many barges-have been sunk with great loss of enemy life, but some of his troops have undoubtedly escaped to safety. The enemy’s struggle to evacuate continues.” It is not definitely known to what point the Japanese have fled, but Bougainville is considered a likely refuge. This is the last Japanese rampart in the Solomons, guarding their main southern Pacific base of Rabaul, in New Britain. Estimates of the enemy strength at Vila ranged from 3000 to 3500, but it is likely that the garrison was enlarged some weeks ago by the withdrawal of the Japanese defenders from Bairoko, on the north coast of New Georgia. The Allied occupation of Vella Lavella sandwiched Kolombangara between our forces based on Vella Lavella and New Georgia. Possession of the first-named island by the Allies also cut the enemy’s supply line from Buin, on Bougainville Island, and thus starved the Japanese out of Vila. Allied aircraft in the South and South-West Pacific are maintaining their incessant attacks against Japanese sea supply lines. Today’s communique from General MacArthur’s headquarters tells of the wholesale destruction of enemy barges throughout the area. In the past three months, from 400 to 600 of these barges have been sunk. In addition, a Liberator left a 1000ton ship aflame in the Kavieng, New Ireland, area. A small enemy gunboat was sunk by our light naval units during a night attack on Choiseul Island, in the Solomons. The Japanese also lost another nine fighters when 30 of them attempted to intercept Liberators escorted by Lightnings and Corsairs on a bombing mission over Kahili, Bougainville Island.