JAPANESE LIES

Wairarapa Times-Age, 13 November 1943, Page 3

JAPANESE LIES

REGARDING NAVAL BATTLE IN PACIFIC AND ALLEGED ALLIED LOSSES. FACTS STATED BY ALLIED COMMANDERS. (By Telegraph—Press Association— Copyright) SYDNEY, November 12. Japanese reports of a largescale naval battle off Bougainville are denied at General MacArthur’s headquarters. The official spokesman said there was no basis for these reports. The only naval clash which had taken place in the area occurred a week ago, when four Japanese destroyers and one cruiser were sunk without the loss of any Allied ships. Japanese claims of Allied shipping losses were unfounded. The Japanese claimed that there had also been major air clashes and that at least 10,000 United States troops had been killed. Tokio radio reports of a great naval battle off Bougainville both amuse and intrigue Admiral Halsey’s headquarters, says the United Press of America correspondent Admiral Halsey's spokesman said the Allies had actually not lost a ship of any kind in the Pacific since the sinking of the destroyer Chevalier after she had been damaged by the enemy in a night engagement off Vella Lavella on October 6, and collided with another American destroyer. NO REST FOR JAPANESE ANYWHERE. ADMIRAL NIMITZ PROMISES INTENSIFIED ACTION. PEARL HARBOUR, November 12. “The Japanese have been relatively unmolested in large areas, but from now on we propose to give them no rest anywhere, as our time has come to strike,” said Admiral Nimitz, Commander-In-Chief in the Pacific, reviewing the Pacific situation in a broadcast. “For two years' we faced the necessity of containing the enemy while gathering strength to drive through the vitals of his defensive system. Now we are getting the men, ships and planes. Our north flank in the Aleutians has been secured, while the intensified attacks in the South-West and South Pacific have placed the Japanese in a precarious position. “We have no illusions about the opposition we encounter. We know our ships and planes alone cannot be destroyed. The Japanese have dug themselves in. We must land and dig him out.” Admiral Nimitz warned listeners not to be impatient for news of battles because there were many times when security will require no immediate disclosure of the result of actions. FIRMLY SECURED AMERICAN BRIDGEHEAD ON BOUGAINVILLE. ENEMY DESTROYER SUNK OFF KAVIENG. (Special Australian Correspondent.) SYDNEY, November 12. When 40 Japanese torpedo planes attacked Allied shipping at Empress Augusta Bay, the American landing point on Bougainville Island, seven were shot down by anti-aircraft fire. Our northern Solomons beachhead is now officially stated to be secure, United States ground forces having completed their consolidation after heavily repulsing attacks by Japanese counterinvasion troops. Admiral Halsey’s aircraft have made further attacks on the remaining Japanese troops at the mouth of the Laruma River on the northern extremity of the American beachhead. Our bombers have also maintained their neutralising raids against enemy aerodromes in southern Bougainville. American paratroops who landed on Choiseul Island, south-east of Bougainville, on October 28, as a diversionary move to covei’ the main assault at Empress Agusta Bay, have now been withdrawn, having completed their misssion. Today’s communique from General MacArthur’s headquarters, which gives details of these Solomons operations, also reports the sinking of a Japanese destroyer off Kaveing, New Ireland following direct hits with 10001 b. bombs. Torbedo bombers scored a probable hit against an enemy cruiser during a night raid on Rabaul. ALLIED ATTACKS ON JAPANESE AIRFIELDS. (Special Australian Correspondent.) SYDNEY, November 12. Maintaining their attacks against Alexishafen, north-east New Guinea, where 35 Japanese aircraft were destroyed on Tuesday, our escorted medium bombers encountered no air interception, but destroyed three more grounded aircraft. Alexishafen has been used by the Japanese as a staging air base for bomber attacks against our troops at Finschhafen, Huon Peninsula and Nadzab airfield, Markham Valley. These bombers come from Hollandia, Dutch New Guinea, which is now the enemy’s main air base in the area, following our wholesale destruction of planes on the fields at Wewak, about 170 miles north of Alexishafen, in the past two months. Hollandia is at present beyond the effective range of escorted bombers from advanced Allied bases in New Guinea. Strong enemy forces have been massed at Alexishafen in preference to Madang, 12 miles to the south, which has been under constant Allied air pressure.

General MacArthur’s latest communique also announces the second attack by Liberators of the South-West Pacific command on the Japanese naval base at Sourabaya, Java, involving a round trip of more than 2000 miles. Twentytwo tons of bombs were dropped, but the weather was bad and the results could not be observed.