Australian Troops In Search Of Japanese Rearguards

Mixed patrol of Australians and native Melanesian troops sets out from Awit in New Britain in search of Japanese rearguards. Australian forces, it was announced on January 10th 1945, have largely taken over from U.S troops the: "island front" in the South West Pacific, to deal with by-passed units of crack Japanese divisions strongly sited at strategic points in the Solomon’s, New Britain and New Guinea. A further Australian amphibious landing on New Britain on the eastern end of the island was reported on February 6th.

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