JAP. SETBACK

Auckland Star, Volume LXXIV, Issue 108, 8 May 1943, Page 5

JAP. SETBACK

IN NEW GUINEA Australians Only Five Miles From Salamaua N.Z.P.A. Special Correspondent SYDNEY, May 7. The capture by Australian forces of Bobdubi, a village five miles from the Japanese Northern New Guinea base at Salamaua, will increase considerably the enemy's problem of supplying their hard-pressed troops in the Mubo area, 11 miles from Salamaua. The village was captured on Monday. Reporting this success, General Mac Arthur's communique to-day says: "Our ground forces, in surprise attacks, scattered and dispersed enemy outguards and have seized the village of Bobdubi, threatening the enemy's supply lines forward to his positions in the Mubo area." Bobdubi is on the Komiatum trail to Muba, which is the trail mainly used by the Japanese to supply their troops. Althougn mere are alternate routes, the volume of supplies reaching the enemy will almost certainly be reduced while the Australians hold Bobdubi. This is the closest point to Salamaua to which our ground forces have penetrated since the early stages of the Northern New Guinea fighting. Float-Planes Destroyed Japanese ground forces around Mubo are being incessantly attacked by Allied aircraft. Our attack planes on Thursday made 20 strafing passes over the Greenhill area, where patrol actions have been, going on for some time. In a surprise early morning raid on Thursday, long-range fighters of General Mac Arthur's command destroyed nine float-planes at the Japanese base of Taberfane, in the Am Islands. They also sank a lugger filled with troops and strafed installations and camp areas. The floatplanes were caught on the beach and set on fire. Widespread bombing attacks in Dutch New Guinea, the Kie Islands, Timor, New Ireland and New Britain are reported in to-day's communique. Attacks were made at nine separate points and particularly heavy damage was done by a formation of Liberators which raided Manokwan, on the north coast of Dutch New Guinea. Buildings and installations were destroyed. The Aru Islands raid was made by Beaufighters.