SHARP CLASHES IN NEW GUINEA

Auckland Star, Volume LXXIV, Issue 271, 15 November 1943, Page 3

SHARP CLASHES IN NEW GUINEA

INCESSANT PATROLS

Attacks Against Strong Enemy Positions N.Z.P.A. Special Correspondent Rec. 12.30 p.m. SYDNEY, this day. Although thrust temporarily into the news background by more spectacular engagements in the Solomons, sharp land fighting continues in Northern New Guinea. Much of this has occurred in the course of incessant patrol activity, during which Australian troops have plotted the Japanese defence positions both in Ramu Valley and around Finschhafen on the coast. Enemy forces in Ramu Valley are holding strong mountain positions protecting their main supply route. Spasmodic artillery exchanges continue to occur between the advanced forces with some sharp local encounters against the Japanese forward positions. In the Pinschhafen area, the Japanese are established on a series of 3000 ft razor-backed crests at Satelberg. Deep gullies and precipitous ravines, covered with thick bamboo and heavy jungle, separate the Australian and Japanese lines. Our artillery maintains continual harassing fire on enemy positions, but the Japanese had made no effort to counter-shell the Australian positions. Little Publicised Sea Offensive The Allies are also keeping up a little publicised sea offensive along the North New Guinea coast. Almost every night United States Navy patrol torpedo-boats penetrate deep into the seaward approaches to the Jap-anese-held territory in order to harry the enemy's barge communications. A heavy toll in barges is being exacted. An Australian war correspondent, who recently went on one of these torpedo-boat raids, reports that the toll for one particular night was four barges put out of commission and a supply ship set alight. We suffered one casualty and superficial damage to two craft. 'Action came when straining eyes reported a suspicious series of black objects in-shore," he writes. "Two small barges stacked high with a 10-ton load of stores lay together, and about 50 yards away were two barges four times larger. At close range all our guns crashed into action. A stream of tracer bullets, interspersed with incendiary and armour-piercing ammunition poured into our tragets. "Figures suddenly clambered over the barge gunwales and raced for the shelter of the jungle. Two staggered, fell and lay spread-eagled on the beach. Heavy calibre guns on two large barges returned our fire and bullets swept our deck. The man beside me collapsed seriously wounded. • "We raced out of range and made another run. The guns on the larger barge were silenced as our shells and incendiaries crashed into them and a dull red glow covered them."