JAPANESE POST TAKEN

Press, Volume LXXIX, Issue 23942, 8 May 1943, Page 5

JAPANESE POST TAKEN

Village Five Miles From Salamaua TRAIL TO MUBO CUT (Special Australian Corresp., N.Z.P.A.) (Rec. 12.30 a.m.) SYDNEY, May 7. The capture by Australian forces of Bobdubi village, five miles from the Japanese northern New Guinea base of Salamaua, will increase considerably the enemy’s problem of supplying their hard-pressed troops in the Mubo area, 11 miles from Salamaua. The village was captured on Monday. Reporting this success, General MacArthur’s communique to-day says: “Our ground forces in surprise attacks scattered and dispersed the enemy outguards and have seized the village of Bobdubi, threatening the enemy’s supply lines forward to his positions in the Mubo area.” Bobdubi is on the Komiatum trail to Mubo, which is the trail mainly used by the Japanese to supply their troops.

Although there are alternative routes, the volume of supplies reaching the enemy will almost certainly be reduced while the Australians hold Bobdubi. . , „ , This is the closest point to Salamaua to which our ground forces have penetrated since the early stages of the northern New Guinea fighting. Japanese ground forces round Mubo are being incessantly attacked by Allied aircraft. Allied attack aeroplanes on Thursday made 20 strafing passes over the Greenhill area, where patrol actions have been going on for some time. In a surprise early morning raid on Thursday, long-range fighters of General MacArthur’s command destroyed nine float-planes at the Japanese base of Taberfane in the Aru islands. They also sank a lugger filled with troops and strafed installations and camp areas. The float-planes were caught on the beach and set on fire. Widespread bombing attacks m Dutch New Guinea, the Kai islands, Timor, New Ireland, and New Britain are reported in to-day’s communique. Attacks were made at nine separate points, and particularly heavy damage was done by a formation of Liberators which raided Manokwari on the north coast of Dutch New Guinea. Buildings and installations were destroyed. The Aru islands raid was made by Beaufighters. /