IMPORTANT GAINS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 30 December 1943, Page 3

IMPORTANT GAINS

MADE BY AMERICAN FORCES IN NEW GUINEA BATTLE AREAS. 41 JAPANESE AIRCRAFT DESTROYED. (Special Australian Correspondent.) SYDNEY, December 29. .Important land and air vic- , lories have been won by American forces fighting on New Britain battlefronts. Four Japanese .ground coun-ter-attacks against the Enited States Marines’ beach-head al Cape Gloucester have been smashed. Aerial engagements over Cape Gloucester and Arawe, the original, invasion, point on the south coast of New Britain resulted in 41 Japanese, planes being shot down. Both on land and in the air the American losses are officially described as “light. ”

The most spectacular success reported in General MacArthur’s communique today was at Arawe. where Thunderbolt fighters swept from the skies a raiding force of 30 Japanese dive-bomb-ers escorted by 20 Zeros. The Thunderbolts shot down 30 enemy planes for the loss of two of their own. . One of our pilots was saved.

The ground defences at Arawe accounted for three more enemy raiders, while gunfire' from Allied patrol tor-pedo-boats 15 miles west of Arawe brought down four others. Little ground activity is reported from Arawe, the fighting being limited to patrol skirmishing.

ADVANCE ON AIRFIELDS.

Heavy rains are falling at Cape Gloucester as the marines, with tank support, push on toward the two main airfields in the ,area. They were last reported within one and a half miles of their objectives. Increased enemy resistance was being encountered. The strength of the four Japanese counter-attacks repulsed by the marines have not been disclosed, but they have been officially described as "larger than mere patrol actions.” Liberator, Mitchell and Boston bombers have given the advancing American ground forces close support. On Monday they plastered Japanese defensive positions near the aerodrome with 150 tons of bombs. Considerable quantities of enemy equipment have already been captured, including food stores, field guns and ammunition. North of Cape Gloucester, in the Vitiaz Strait, other Americans are now firmly entrenched on Long Island, where they landed on Sunday morning simultaneously with the main invasion. They have encountered absolutely no opposition. Major-General William H. Rupertus, commanding the marines at Cape Gloucester, has warned war correspondents in the area that heavy fighting may yet occur. He said that the Japanese might try to move fresh troops into the area both by barge and overland. The hardest battles were likely to be for possession cf the aerodromes.

BOVS IN FIGHTING LINE

SYDNEY, December 20. The youngest soldiers ever to go into > action in the South-west Pacific war made last Sunday’s American landing : at Cape Gloucester, according to an Australian correspondent who went ashore with the invasion forces. While the average age of the marines was about 20 years, he says, many : of them were from 17 to 19. Recruits for the marines are not accepted until : they turn 17, but officers said they suspected several of their “men” of being • only 15 or 16.

DOMINATING HEIGHT

AND ENEMY SUPPLY BASE. CAPTURED BY AUSTRALIANS IN NEW GUINEA. SYDNEY, December 29. Australian troops fighting in New Guinea made gains both in the Ramu Valley and on the Huon Peninsula. In the Ramu Valley they captured the Pimple, dominating a strategic ridge in the Finisterre area. The taking of the Pimple by infantry assault is regarded as one of the most important successes won by the Australians in fighting in the valley. The attack was preceded by a heavy artillery barrage, nearly 4000 rounds being fired by our 25-pounders in the preliminary softening-up process.

Kittyhawk and Boomerang divebombers made aerial assaults against the Japanese positions before the infantry advance began. The Australians on the Huon Peninsula have advanced a further five miles to capture the village of Ago and the Japanese barge and supply base at Walingai.