IN THE SOLOMONS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 1 November 1943, Page 3

IN THE SOLOMONS

JAPANESE FALLING BACK ON BOUGAINVILLE ALLIES MAKING HEADWAY ON OTHER ISLANDS LANDING ON CHOISEUL (Special Australian Correspondent.) SYDNEY, October 31. The Japanese in Hie northern Solomons are withdrawing to Bougainville Island, the last major stronghold in that area protecting their important base at Rabaul, New Britain. ■ This is reported by Australian war correspondents in the South Pacific. The enemy’s withdrawal t follows swiftly on the Allied landings on Treasury and Choiseul Islands. They are 80 miles apart, but both are within 40 miles of Bougainville.’ After American and New Zealand troops landed on Mono and Stirling Islands in the Treasury group at dawn on Wednesday, Allied paratroops invaded Choiseul on Thursday. They did not, however, jump, but went ashore in large landing craft. Striking against the south-west coast at Zinoa, they have cut the Japanese garrison in halves. STIFF FIGHTING POSSIBLE Zinoa is six miles north of Sangigai, which is the main enemy barge staging point on Choiseul, and war correspondents suggest that some stiff fighting is possible in this sector. Probably' 1000 fit Japanese and 1500 evacuees from Kolombangara and Vella Lavella have to be hunted down and killed. The latest reports from Admiral Halsey’s headquarters say our troops are consolidating their positions. They are within striking distance of Choiseul Bay, which affords the only safe anchorage for large ships. The island is almost surrounded by reefs extending several miles from the coast. One of the least known and least developed of the larger islands in the Solomons, group, Choiseul is 80 miles long and from eight to 20 miles wide. Though its highest mountains are only 2500 feet, the island is a mass of steep confused hills with little ‘flat ground. While the latest ’ Allied Solomons landing was being made on Choiseul, American and New Zealand troops in the Treasury Islands were establishing defences as a protection against a possible enemy counter-offensive from Bougainville, where, a Japanese force, unofficially estimated to number 40,000, is garrisoned. ALLIED NAVAL SUPPORT Meanwhile Allied naval craft are standing by to prevent a Japanese evacuation from the islands. On Mono, some hundreds of enemy troops have been reported streaming back to Malsi village, on the north-east coast, which is a possible evacuation point. Japanese aircraft have made ineffectual attacks against both our shipping and ground positions. Our patrolling fighters shot down 12 of 25 Japanese dive-bombers. Enemy air interference is being hampered by our incessant bombing attacks against the Kahili and Kara aerodromes, only 45 miles from the Treasury group. Heavy damage has been done to runways. Three of nine enemy fighters were shot down by Allied fighters in the latest sweep. On the northern tip of Bougainville, 2500 Japanese building an airstrip at Bonis plantation were machine-gunned by Lockheed Lightnings, at least 200 being killed.

All this Allied air, sea and land activity centres fresh attention on Bougainville, which is the core of the Japanese resistance in the Solomons. The only other Solomon Islands now controlled by the Japanese are Buka, in the extreme north, and the Shortland group, just south of Bougainville. Military observers, a Washington message states, believe the gradual Allied advance toward Rabaul may soon force the Japanese Fleet to come down from Truk and fight. Heretofore the Japanese have depended on planes to stem the push, but the air force has been dealt a series of telling blows. The entire Japanese defence line in the South-West Pacific hinges on Rabaul, and the enemy is believed to be prepared to go to great lengths to defend it.

TEN ZEROS DESTROYED p. LIBERATOR’S GALLANT FIGHT BEFORE BEING FORCED DOWN SYDNEY, October 31. The extraordinary feat of a Liberator bomber in shooting down 10 Japanese fighters in a one-hour running fight, is reported in General MacArthur’s communique today. The Liberator was lost in an attack on the enemy nickel mining centre of Pomelaa, in the Celebes, on October 22, but survivors of the crew who have been rescued say that before their bomber was shot down they had inflicted record punishment on a Japanese fighter formation as well as setting fire to a 4500-tpn freighter transport. Four enemy ships and 13 barges are reported destroyed in widespread Allied ah’ operations throughout the South and South-West Pacific areas. Several other ships and barges have been attacked and damaged. Two small vessels were destroyed in the Banda Sea, north of Australia, while near Buka in the northern Solomons, a troop-laden coastal vessel was sunk. I Neax’ New Ireland our bombers attacked a Japanese light cruiser and two cargo vessels. Enemy barges were destroyed along the northern New Guinea and New Britain coasts, and in the Solomons. The destruction of 15 enemy aircraft in combat is also reported.