IN NEW BRITAIN

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 64, Issue 60, 20 December 1943, Page 3

IN NEW BRITAIN

AMERICANS CAPTURE VILLAGE.

JAPANESE ABANDON STORES

FORCED INTO WILDERNESS

(Special Australian Correspondent N.Z.P.A.)

(Rec. 11.15) SYDNEY, This Day. \The American troops who landed on the Arawe Peninsula, New Britain, on Wednesday, have captured Umtingalu, a village about five miles east of the original landing point. Patrols are rapidly fanning out to consolidate the Allied beachhead. Allied planes, which strafe the retreating Japanese from tree-top height, are supporting the general advance by the Americans. Stores abandoned by the Japanese include large quantities of food and ammunition, and the enemy forces must become increasingly short of supplies as they are forced back into the wilderness. Their only way of escape is through virtually impassable and unknown country to the northern coast of New Britain. No such trek has ever before been attempted. The coastal strip between Arawe and Umtingalu, where the Americans are digging in, is sheltered by cliffs about 200 feet high. West of their beachhead American patrols are approaching extremely rough country around Sauren and Cape Busing. Dense mangrove swamps fringe the sea in this area.