WELL PLANNED

Wairarapa Times-Age, 30 October 1943, Page 4

WELL PLANNED

WITH NAVAL & AIR FORCE CO-OPERATION LANDINGS ON TREASURY ISLANDS ENEMY ATTACKS POSSIBLE FROM BOUGAINVILLE (By Telegraph—Press Association —Copyright) (Received This Day, 1.25 p.m.) SYDNEY, This Day. New ZealancTers and Americans comprised the Allied force which occupied Mono, the main island of the Treasury Group, in the Northern Solomons, at dawn on Wednesday morning. Other landings were made on Stirling Island, just south of Mono. Although these landings were accomplished without Japanese air interference, Australian war correspondents in the Solomons say the Japanese may make the Treasury Group a “hot spot.” The Japanese are believed to have 40,000 troops on Bougainville Island, about 30 miles away, and it is possible that they may attempt to retake the Treasury Group by a night invasion. They would probably employ heavily armed and armoured barges, capable of a speed of 18 knots, for this purpose —but the correspondents suggest that the Allied Navy undoubtedly has made provision for such a contingency. Allied casualties in Wednesday's landings were small. The Japanese garrison on Mono attempted no beachhead resistance, but retired inland, where they are being hunted down. A naval task force prepared the way for the landings by heavily bombarding the shore on Tuesday night. Shortly before daybreak, a smoke screen was laid and landing barges put out from the ships, under strong air cover. Rain squalls further reduced visibility. The absence of enemy air opposition was due to an earlier pounding dealt out to the Japanese air bases at Ballale, the Shortland Islands and Kahili, on Bougainville, by Admiral Halsey’s bombers. Unless these airfields can be kept neutralised, however, the Allied troops on Mono and Stirling can expect heavy air attacks. But the development of the new Allied airfield on Vella *.Cavella, only 75 miles away, should ensure fighter protection likely to make his air forays costly for the enemy. Bougainville Island is now the only major stronghold left to the enemy in the Solomons, though there are still Japanese garrisons on Choiseul and Shortland islands and at Buka.

The latest, landings were made on America’s Navy Day.