Post by Dave Homewood on Jul 21, 2020 18:34:29 GMT 12
JAP GENERAL
CHASED BY R.N.Z.A.F.
PACIFIC HIDE AND SEEK
(R.N.Z.A.F Official News Service.)
BOUGAINVILLE, July 12
Life these days is no bed of roses for high-ranking Japanese officers on Bougainville. Apart from their worries of fighting a losing war, with their troops thinning out and their territory shrinking, they themselves are being hounded all over the jungle by New Zealand Corsair fighter pilots. It isn't a personal affair altogether, for anywhere a general or admiral can be found there also are sure to be important staffs, troops, and supplies.
Slight, astute Lieutenant-General Kanda, who commands the 17th Japanese Army, is probably the most-bombed general in the world. Many times during the 20 months he has been fighting on Bougainville his headquarters have been bombed out by aircraft, but, with Oriental patience, he moves to another area and continues his thankless task.
Kanda was formerly head, of the Japanese 6th Division, whose black record includes the rape of Nanking, and he was in charge of operations up to the Australians' Hongorai advance. About that time Lieutenant-General Hyakutake, 17th Army Commander, left the island — he is reported to have gone back to Japan — and Kanda was appointed in his place. This gave him overall command of the Japanese army units on Bougainville.
Though illness left him drawn and stooped, Kanda bore almost a charmed life in the face of all this bombing. Now his luck seems to be running out. One of his recent moves to escape the Corsairs' persecution took him to a place called Maika, east of the Kara airstrip. This was after his last camp was uncovered by a chance bomb, then torn up by the New Zealanders.
But it didn't take long to ferret him out and this time his headquarters was thoroughly smashed. Many of his troops were killed and much equipment was destroyed. The general's dug-out received a hit and though he came out of it with his life, he is believed to have been badly knocked about. Needless to say he has moved his headquarters again.
NAVY INCLUDED.
Then there is the Japanese admiral who had a comfortable hide-out at the Muliko River, with his own radio station and concrete shelter. Corsairs made two bombing trips to try and find the camp. After the second raid, "Smoky Joe", the lone Corsair who marked the target with smoke for his companions to bomb, saw through the shattered jungle a group of large galvanised iron huts and several trucks, all well camouflaged.
The New Zealanders' chance to investigate closer came several days later, when, weathered out of another target, they switched to the admiral. Observed damage after the raid gave a tally of one large thatched hut destroyed, five galvanised iron huts destroyed and another damaged, and a truck destroyed. In addition, a great quantity of white paper and mixed debris was strewn over the area, indicating that the locality was thoroughly blasted and made untenable.
Latest H.E. visiting cards have been dropped by the Corsairs on the rice garden ■ area of Kikibatsiago, where high-ranking officers of the 17th Army were reported to be encamped. The pilots were unable to see the results of their bombing but they wouldn't be at all surprised to hear that these "brass hats" have also sought a new sanctuary. Nine and a half tons of bombs can do a lot of damage.
EVENING POST, 16 JULY 1945
CHASED BY R.N.Z.A.F.
PACIFIC HIDE AND SEEK
(R.N.Z.A.F Official News Service.)
BOUGAINVILLE, July 12
Life these days is no bed of roses for high-ranking Japanese officers on Bougainville. Apart from their worries of fighting a losing war, with their troops thinning out and their territory shrinking, they themselves are being hounded all over the jungle by New Zealand Corsair fighter pilots. It isn't a personal affair altogether, for anywhere a general or admiral can be found there also are sure to be important staffs, troops, and supplies.
Slight, astute Lieutenant-General Kanda, who commands the 17th Japanese Army, is probably the most-bombed general in the world. Many times during the 20 months he has been fighting on Bougainville his headquarters have been bombed out by aircraft, but, with Oriental patience, he moves to another area and continues his thankless task.
Kanda was formerly head, of the Japanese 6th Division, whose black record includes the rape of Nanking, and he was in charge of operations up to the Australians' Hongorai advance. About that time Lieutenant-General Hyakutake, 17th Army Commander, left the island — he is reported to have gone back to Japan — and Kanda was appointed in his place. This gave him overall command of the Japanese army units on Bougainville.
Though illness left him drawn and stooped, Kanda bore almost a charmed life in the face of all this bombing. Now his luck seems to be running out. One of his recent moves to escape the Corsairs' persecution took him to a place called Maika, east of the Kara airstrip. This was after his last camp was uncovered by a chance bomb, then torn up by the New Zealanders.
But it didn't take long to ferret him out and this time his headquarters was thoroughly smashed. Many of his troops were killed and much equipment was destroyed. The general's dug-out received a hit and though he came out of it with his life, he is believed to have been badly knocked about. Needless to say he has moved his headquarters again.
NAVY INCLUDED.
Then there is the Japanese admiral who had a comfortable hide-out at the Muliko River, with his own radio station and concrete shelter. Corsairs made two bombing trips to try and find the camp. After the second raid, "Smoky Joe", the lone Corsair who marked the target with smoke for his companions to bomb, saw through the shattered jungle a group of large galvanised iron huts and several trucks, all well camouflaged.
The New Zealanders' chance to investigate closer came several days later, when, weathered out of another target, they switched to the admiral. Observed damage after the raid gave a tally of one large thatched hut destroyed, five galvanised iron huts destroyed and another damaged, and a truck destroyed. In addition, a great quantity of white paper and mixed debris was strewn over the area, indicating that the locality was thoroughly blasted and made untenable.
Latest H.E. visiting cards have been dropped by the Corsairs on the rice garden ■ area of Kikibatsiago, where high-ranking officers of the 17th Army were reported to be encamped. The pilots were unable to see the results of their bombing but they wouldn't be at all surprised to hear that these "brass hats" have also sought a new sanctuary. Nine and a half tons of bombs can do a lot of damage.
EVENING POST, 16 JULY 1945