ADVANCE GOES ON

Auckland Star, Volume LXXVI, Issue 154, 2 July 1945, Page 6

ADVANCE GOES ON

"AUSSIES" ON BOUGAINVILLE GROWING THREAT TO BUIN R.N.Z.A.P. .Official News Service BOUGAINVILLE, July 1. The Australians' advance in Soutft Bougainville in the past two days, which was preceded by shattering, close-support strikes by nearly 90 New Zealand Corsair fighter-bombers and the most concentrated artillery and mortar barrage yet hurled against the Japanese, has taken them to the edge of the important enemy base at Buin. The push from the Mobiai River to the Mivo River places the forward troops only 13 miles from the centre of the southernmost Japanese base. Ten miles ahead of the Australians lies the Kara airstrip, and 16 miles away is Kahili. There are no aircraft there to-day, but the two airstrips are protected by strong antiaircraft batteries. The entire length of the Buin road between the Mobiai and Mivo rivers is now in Australian hands, and the Australians also control an escarpment on the west bank of the Mivo River dominating the flat, swampy country on the other side. Ground troops reported that the preliminary ; air strikes by - the Corsairs hurled whole sections of the jungle skywards, and one big garden area was churned as though by giant ploughshares. While the Australians are consolidating their positions on the Mivo River, New Zealand aircraft are softening enemy defences across the river.