BATTLE RESUMED

Auckland Star, Volume LXXIII, Issue 221, 18 September 1942, Page 3

BATTLE RESUMED

new guinea jungle Allies Bomb Bases; Heavy Enemy Pressure Special Australian Correspondent • LONDON, Sept. 17. • S . c ' ' ous fighting has been resumed in the rugged Owen Stanley Ranee where the Japanese jungle troops are striking overland against Port Moresby. Parts of the main forces are now at grips and a new and heavier phase of the battle appears to have begun. The general area of the fighting is now north of loribaiwi, a headftuarters spokesman said to-day. loribaiwi is a native village by air 12 miles south of Efogi and 32 miles from Port Moresby. The trail distance from Port Moresby is estimated at more than 80 miles. War correspondents do not consider the Japanese have yet made any substantial further advances. Previous statements of the battle area as being south of Efogi are thought to have included the area of the latest heavy fighting. Official reports so far released do not indicate which side has the initiative. However, to-day's communique from General Mac Arthur's Headquarters makes reference to the enemy's "heavy pressure." It was revealed to-day that before the present flare-up Allied patrols for three days had been exerting pressure on the enemy and had infiltrated with marked success. For the first time it is reported that the Japanese are using light mountain artillery. Non-stop Attacks A representative of the Australian Broadcasting Commission says the new battle has been working up for some days. The Allied forces have steadily - strengthened their combat patrols over the last few days and this may have led to the main action now taking place. He tells how in the area Allied bombers and fighters are continually sweeping the enemy's supply lines and carrying out almost non-stop attacks against the Japanese as they move along the inland tracks toward the front. The Japanese have not yet received any air assistance.

Other air activity in the South-west Pacific is connected more with the outbreak of major fighting in the Solomons than with the Owen Stanley battle. Rabaul and Buka were the main targets for raids on Tuesday night. Dispersal areas at both places were attacked. At Buka fires were started, but the results of the Rabaul raid are not known. The much bombed Buna was again raided on Wednesday, beached barges being the targets. These barges are used extensively by the Japanese in moving supplies along the north New Guinea coast and up nearby creeks. The fighting on Guadalcanar Island has decreased in intensity, says a United States Navy announcement. The American marines are still holding their positions. Allied aircraft based on the islands damaged two enemy cruisers and heavily bombed Japanese shore bases on Ysabel Island. HOW YORfcTOWN SANK Enemy Planes Drop Torpedoes At Short Range VAIN ATTEMPT AT TOWING Rec. noon. NEW YORK, Sept. 17. "Disregarding fighter planes and terrific flak, two Japanese planes approached within 500 yards of the aircraft - carrier Yorktown and dropped torpedoes from 50 to 100 feet,' 1 says the New York Times correspondent, who witnessed the sinking of the carrier. "The first torpedo hit her squarely amidships, and the second apparently entered the hole made by the first. It penetrated halfway through the ship, which came to a dead stop and slowly turned on her side. The order to abandon ship was given. "Next day the ship was still afloat and plans were made to take her in tow. The destroyer Hamman arrived to attempt the towing, but the Japanese fired three more torpedoes, sinking both the Yorktown and the Hamman." LUXEMBURG REVOLT Rec. 12.30 p.m. LONDON, Sept. 17. The Germans have started the mass deportation of people of both sexes from Luxemburg, following the general strike which broke out as a protest against the annexation of the Duchy and the calling-up for the German army of three classes of young men. The Germans are threatening to bring in German workers to Luxemburg to maintain the mines and steelworks, which are of the greatest importance to the German war machine. Luxemburg before the war ranked as the seventh steel-produc-ing country in the world. Production since the German occupation has decreased from 2,000,000 tons to 700,000 tons a year. A Belgian news agency reports that 400 conscripted Belgians have been deported to Norway to work on coastal defences.