CONTACT MADE

Bay of Plenty Times, Volume LXXI, Issue 13770, 13 October 1942, Page 5

CONTACT MADE

JAPANESE FORCES New Guinea Area Australian Advance London, Oct. 12. General MacArthur's latest communique states that in the Owen Stanley area in New Guinea Australian forces are maintaining contact with the Japanese in the Kokoda sector. No fresh developments are announced during the past 24 hours. The Australians were last reported to be. 12 miles from Kokoda and operating in the Myola area. The exact strength of the enemy in this area is not known. Allied bombers have continued their heavy air offensive against enemy communications from Kokoda right back to the Japanese base at Buna. More enemy barges were destroyed at Buna. On the road from Kokoda to Buna no Japanese activity was noticed. A 10,000 ton enemy seaplane carrier, thought to be a converted liner, was attacked by our bombers. It was carrying 12 Zero fighters and two hits were scored on it with bombs the blast from which destroyed the Zeros. The vessel was last seen at a standstill with a destroyer standing by. Reviewing the situation in the Solomons American newspapers point out that the main Japanese aim was to cut the United States communications to Australia, avert an Allied offensive and capture Guadalcanal*. They do not make light of fresh Japanese landings and attempted landings on this important island. Japan is, however, definitely weak in the air and the enemy is being harassed and his airfields subject to daily bombing. In spite of this the enemy can still strike hard but nevertheless it is thought that the tide in the Pacific has turned against Japan and that she cannot stand against it. Japan is following the German precedent of despoiling the conquered countries of foodstuffs and Tokio admits that they have seized the entire rice crop of Indo-China, eighty per cent .of which has been shipped to Japan already.