FINAL DRIVE ON JAP. BASE IN NEW GUINEA

Auckland Star, Volume LXXIV, Issue 229, 27 September 1943, Page 5

FINAL DRIVE ON JAP. BASE IN NEW GUINEA

FINSCHHAFEN SECTOR

Australians In Heaviest Battle Since Buna N.Z. Press Association—Copyright Rec. 12.30 p.m. SYDNEY, this day. In the final drive on Finschhafen, the Japanese base on Huon Peninsula, New Guinea, the Australians are engaged in the heaviest fighting since the Buna campaign. Japanese resistance is aimed at making the loss of Finschhafen as costly as possible to the Allies. Shock troops broke through the core of the enemy defences at Bumi River, three-quarters of a mile north of Finschhafen. The bridgeheads were held and enlarged to cover the crossing of the main forces. Under the full weight of the Australian attack the Japanese are steadily falling back towards the township. Strong opposition is expected farther on toward Langemak Bay, near Finschhafen anchorage, where the defenders have been feverishly working on cross-fire trenches and sniper's posts. The enemy opposition at Bumi River provided the first warning that the capture of the base would be difficult. In the Lae campaign the failure of the Japanese to make a stand at the outer defences on Busu River foretold the collapse of the inner defences. Earlier messages said the drive by the Australians at Finschhafen was moving rapidly to a climax. Our troops were less than a mile from the town, the fall of which is believed to be imminent. General Mac Arthur's heavy bombers on reconnaissance off New Ireland sank a 2000-ton Japanese cargo ship. Enemy aerodomes and installations on New Britain are feeling the weight of persistent attacks by Allied bombers. A raid before dawn on the enemy's new airfield at Cape Hoskins started fires in supply and ammunition dumps. One of our planes failed to return. Bombers also pounded the building area on the Japanese-occupied Rooke Island, in Vitiaz Strait, between New Guinea and New Britain. In the Northern Solomons Admiral Halsey's bombers at night attacked three medium cargo vessels and a cruiser off Buka Island, with unknown results.