MUBO AREA OF NEW GUINEA

Press, Volume LXXIX, Issue 23945, 12 May 1943, Page 3

MUBO AREA OF NEW GUINEA

AUSTRALIANS’ SKILL IN JUNGLE POSITIONS CLOSE TO SALAMAUA (Special Australian Corresp., N.Z.P.A.) (R?c. 11 p.m.) SYDNEY. May 11. The Australian troops operating in the Mubo area of northern New Guinea are much more skilful jungle fighters than the Japanese. So far the Australians have soundly beaten the , Japanese in every patrol skirmish that ; has taken place in the area. > The latest clashes, reported in Gen- ■ eral Mac Arthur's communique to-day, j occurred when enemy forces attempted to attack our positions south of Green’s Hill. They were repulsed, but the communique gives no further details of the action. : Considerable skirmishing has taken place in this area. “At least 10 Japanese are killed for every Australian, declared one soldier who had just returned from the sector. “The Digger is now a much better bushman than the Japanese.” Australian patrols operating round Mubo travel light. No blankets are carried, and the men sleep in (he bitterly cold nights covered only by « ground sheet. One feature of the patrolling work in which the Australians have become expert is that of ambushes. The Japanese have thus been forced always to reconnoitre in strength. In three days during the last week about 50 Japanese were killed in successful ambushes, ana many more were wounded. Skirmishing clashes are certain to become much more frequent now that the Australian occupation of Bobdubi offers a definite threat to the enemy’s supply line to his forward troops round Mubo. The map shows that the Australians are within three air miles of the important enemy base of Salamaua, but no map conveys an adequate idea of the terrain. “When the time comes for an offensive to be launched against this Japanese base,” writes a war correspondent from New Guinea, “it will be the beginning of a campaign in which the country, with its ridges, gorges, swamps, and eight known streams, will prevent any frontal attack. It will bo fought on tougher ground than any our troops saw in th« Buna area.”

U.S. 14TH AIR FORCE

PLANES OPERATING IN CHINA (Rcc. 12.30 a.m.) NEW YORK, May 11. The presence in China of the 14th United States Air Force, whose heavy bombers last week raided Haiphong. Hainan Island, and Canton, is revealed by the “New York Times” correspondent at an American air base. The crews flew all their aeroplanes from the United States to India safely. They lost only one aeroplane on the remaining hop to China. ,

FIGHTING IN CHINA \

U.S. BOMBERS ATTACK AIRFIELDS Roc. 7 p.m.) LONDON. May 10. A Chungking message says that fighting, continues by the Tungting Lake, in Shantung province: at Chiangkow and Sansienhu; and also north-west of Anhsiang where 2000 enemy troops advanced from Kwangtupg to Mahaokau. A Chungking message says that Americat! bombers which raided Japanese airfields in occupied China on Saturday destroyed 22 enemy . ' • planes, probably destroyed five ofiret*;—' damaged two more, and caused fire* which were visible 100 miles.

NEW U.S. FIGHTER AIRCRAFT

THUNDERBOLTS OPERATE FROM BRITAIN (Rec. 7 p.m.) LONDON, May 10. American P47 Thunderbolt fighters are in operation against the enemy .from United States airfields in Britain. One of the newest types, the Thunderbolt is single-engined, and is designed as a high-altitude, heavy, fast fighter. Its speed is rated above 400 miles an hour, and it is capable of performing at 40,000 feet. It v has a ferrying range of 1000 miles. Eight machine-guns mounted in the wings fire more than 100 rounds a second.

PRICE CONTROL IN AUSTRALIA

COST OF SUBSIDIES (Rec. 10 p.m.) CANBERRA, May 11. Price ceiling subsidies which will probably cost the Australian Federal Government up to £15,000,000 may avoid up to £50.000,000 In wage increases. The Federal Treasurer (Mr J. B. Chifley) disclosed this when he declared that subsidies to keep down living costs would be less expensive t> the Government than increasing wages to meet price increases. A general price rise of 10 per cent, would add £50,000,000 to the Government’s expenditure. Mr Chifley emphatically denied that ceiling price control had been introduced as a back-door way of limiting profits. Subsidies would not be paid where industries were not rationalised or where their production methods w r ere inefficient.