NEW GUINEA FRONT

Press, Volume LXXVIII, Issue 23750, 23 September 1942, Page 3

NEW GUINEA FRONT

No Change on Land Reported ENEMY MOVING UP SUPPLIES (Special Australian Corresp., N.Z.P.A.) (Rec. 12.30 a.m.) SYDNEY. Sept. 22. The Japanese have widened parts of the trail across the Owen Stanley range in New Guinea, and although harassed by continual Allied air attacks, they are steadily moving up supplies. As well as quick-firing mountain guns, they have succeeded in bringing 75-millimetre artillery to their forward positions. Other weapons being used by the enemy include long-range .92 heavy machine-guns. Though renewed pressure by the Japanese is expected, the latest communique from General MacArthur’s

headquarters reports that no change has yet occurred in the land fighting. Great gallantry is being shown by the Australian patrols, who have made the enemy advance expensive. On Sunday, a small party, ferreting out enemy gun positions, discovered a mountain gun in charge of an officer and six men. Although they heard a large party of Japanese approaching, they attacked the gun crew. The Japanese officer was killed and then the patrol picked off members of the crew. The Australians escaped into the jungle without loss. A war correspondent says that courage similar to that shown by the Anzacs storming the heights of Gallipoli has been shown again and again in New Guinea. He reports that when a platoon of Australians attacked a strongly-held Japanese position they were pinned down by withering fire from heavy machine-guns. Although many of his comrades had been killed, one digger refused to be stopped. Three times hit in the chest, he crawled on a steep slope until he was able to throw nand grenades into the machine-gun nests. Some of the enemy gunners were killed, and with a tommy-gun the Australian kept the remaining machine-guns silent while his battered platoon reformed for a successful attack.

Many other stories are told of offensive and defensive gallantry which has cost the Japanese heavy casualties and saved the Australians many lives. One Bren gunner whose position was over-run by Japanese refused to withdraw and remained at his post until his ammunition was expended, delaying the main Japanese advance long enough for the Australians to form new defensive positions. Allied Air Attacks The Allied air force continues to give close support to the ground troops. Further offensive sweeps were made by fighters along the Buna-Kokoda supply .route. A headquarters spokesman said that six tons of bombs and 15,000 rounds of ammunition were used in Sunday’s aerial strafing. On Monday the wire rope bridge over the Kumusi river, below Kokoda, was destroyed. The bridge had been previously destroyed by the Australian forces before they'retired, but it was restored by the enemy. After a long lull the Japanese air force on Monday resumed its ineffectual offensive in New Guinea. It sent 27 heavy bombers with an, escort of 10 Zeros to attack an area north-west of Port Moresby. The bombs dropped harmlessly, in scrub, 32 miles from Port Moresby. No damage or casualties resulted. The nature of the enemy objective has not been stated. The previous large-scale enemy air attack on Port Moresby was on September 8, when 26 bombers with fighter escort made a raid which caused little Medium bombers of General MacArthur’s command have made a further night raid on the enemy aerodrome at Buka, in the northern Solomons, but the results were not observed.

FOREIGN POLICY OF SPAIN

CRUSADE AGAINST COMMUNISM

(Hec. 11 p.m.) LONDON, Sept. 22. The Spanish Cabinet had a full meeting, at which General Franco presided, a few days ago. Foreign relations and domestic affairs were discussed. An official statement about the meeting says that in relation to foreign affairs the Cabinet reaffirmed the policy pursued for the last six years m accordance with the crusade against Communism, and for a new European order. Spain’s close friendship with Portugal and the Latin American countries was also reaffirmed.

U-BOATS IN BAY OF BISCAY

ATTACKS BY BRITISH FLYING-BOATS LONDON, Sept. 21. Stories of two further successes against U-boats in the Bay of Biscay have been released by the Air Ministry. One Sunderland flying-boat captain Flight Lieutenant H. G. Pockley* of New South Wales, has been so lucky in his patrols in the Bay of Biscay that his colleagues call him the “U-boat magnet.” . . Some weeks ago Flight Lieutenant Pockley caught an Italian U-boat on the surface, and in spite of the v/eight of the giant Sunderland, he attacked in a dive almost as steep as that of a Stuka. The bombs must have damaged the submarine, for the Italians remained on the surface and fought a gun battle with the Sunderland. They hit the flying-boat with anti-aircraft fire, but did no serious damage. In return Flight-Lieutenant Pockley’s gunners sprayed the submarine with machine-gun bullets, many hits being scored on the conning-tower and deck, and the enemy’s guns ceased firing. Another Sunderland came along and added to the U-boat’s discomfort. It was not sunk, but was forced to remain on the surface. The next day it was found by a Wellington, and as the bombs fell some of the Italians dived overboard and swam rapidly away Those who remained tried to submerge, but the U-boat slid under the water at an angle which clearly showed that it was out of control. A few days later Flight Lieutenant Pockley surprised a German submarine on the surface. There were violent explosions which threw up great spouts of water from the centre of the Üboat as the pilot dropped his bombs. Later there were masses of air bubbles. These are only two of Flight Lieutenant Pockley’s successes.

Flight Lieutenant Ricketts Missing. —Flight Lieutenant Victor Ricketts, formerly the "flying reporter” of the "Daily Express,” who accompanied Wing Commander A. E. Clouston on a record flight to New Zealand before the war, is reported missing. Flight Lieutenant Ricketts volunteered for a dangerous job of photographic reconnaissance. He flew over Paris and took photographs in daylight after the great raid on the Renault works. His photographs were reproduced throughout the world.—London, September 21.