PAPUA FRONT

Auckland Star, Volume LXXIII, Issue 194, 18 August 1942, Page 5

PAPUA FRONT

JAPANESE ADVANCE

Strong Allied Defences Not

Yet Reached United Press Association—Copyright SYDNEY, Aug. 17. The Japanese have again advanced in Papua. The Allied line now lies a little south of Kokoda, about 60 miles from Port Moresby. To-davs communique from General MacArthur's headquarters reports continued patrol skirmishes between small enemy forces and our outpost elements.

These clashes, states the communique, "have taken place beyond the barrier line of the Owen Stanley Range." The Japanese force which landed at Gona Mission on July 22 quickly penetrated inland as far as Kokoda, where they were held by our patrols for some time. To-day's communique is the first official intimation of their advance p#st the village.

A headquarters spokesman said to-day that still only small forces are engaged and the situation is fluctuating. While skirmishing had shifted toward the range, it had no especial importance. The fighting has not yet reached the rugged country, but is still taking place in the rolling country, where transport advantages lie with the Japanese. Enemy forces have still to encounter the strong Allied defensive line of the ranges, but some observers believe they will pursue their normal policy of pushing on until stopped. The intention of this fresh enemy thrust is not yet clear.

The communique to-day also reports another attack by Allied medium bombers on an enemy-occu-pied town on the south-east coast of Timor. The objective is not indicated. but it is stated that all bombs fell in the target area and a large fire started. All our planes returned to their base. On Saturday Mape. an inland village in Timor, was raided by our aircraft, about 12,0001b of bombs being dropped.