CLASHES NEAR SALAMAUA

Press, Volume LXXIX, Issue 23947, 14 May 1943, Page 5

CLASHES NEAR SALAMAUA

ACTIVITY ON TRAIL FROM MUBO CLOSE CONTACT WITH JAPANESE (N.Z. Press Association—Copyright) (Rcc. 11 p.m.) SYDNEY, May 13. The Australian forces continue to hold grimly the northern New Guinea village of Bobdubi, five miles from Salamaua, wnere clashes with Japanese patrols are increasing in violence. Our forces are reported to be in close contact with the Japanese on the outskirts of Bobdubi village. General Mac Arthur's communique to-day reports skirmishing at various points along the Komiatum trail be-' tween Mubo and Salamaua. At Komiatum five Japanese were killed when an enemy patrol was ambushed. There are no reports of Australian casualties. At Lababia ridge, a small Allied detachment which was recently reported to have re-established contact with our main forces after having been cut off by the Japanese, is still fighting. Earlier reports said that the latest scene of fighting in the rugged Mubo Gorge country was Vickers ridge, a 3000-foot rise opposite the Mubo landing strip. Ib one clash severe casualties were inflicted on the Japanese who made a strong attack 6n the Australian positions. The Australians counterattacked and broke through enemy resistance to re-establish contact with a pocket which had been isolated in the earlier fighting. The action is believed to have lasted some time. Vickers ridge is at the junction of the Mubo-Salamaua trail with the trail to Duali on the coast. It is about a mile south of Green’s Hill, where fighting was reported last week. The Japanese are reported to have reinforced their Mubo garrison with troops of good physique. Heavier skirmishing in the area is likely. Extremely bad weather has continued to the north, and air activity on Wednesday was limited. Late in the afternoon Liberators attacked the enemy port of Saumlakki, on Tenimber Island, leaving large fires burning. Cape Gloucester, in New Britain, was raided twice —once in the early morning darkness by a Catalina and again in daylight by a Flying Fortress, Gasmata aerodrome was bombed by a Fortress on armed reconnaissance. A Liberator bombed the town area at Salamaua, while a formation of Mitchell medium' bombers struck heavily at the aerodrome and adjacent installations at Finschhafen. The attack was made in adverse weather, but several Japanese-occupied buildings were destroyed.

NEW COMMANDER IN SOLOMONS

MAJOR-GENERAL PATCH RECALLED (Rec. 10 p.m.) WASHINGTON, May 12. In accordance with the United States Army policy of bringing experienced commanders home to impart combat lessons to troops in training, MajorGeneral A. McC. Patch, Army Commander in the Solomons, has assumed command of the 4th Army Headquarters at Jacksonville, Florida. MajorGeneral Oscar Griswold, former commander of the 4th Army, replaces Major-General Patch. Major-General L. R. Fredenhall was recently recalled from North Africa to command the United States 2nd Army. The War Department said that other officers of all grades would be brought back at the close of the Tunisian campaign.

AMERICAN RAIDS IN SOLOMONS

(8.0. W.) RUGBY, May 12. The United States: Navy Department reports: “In the south Pacific yesterday Fortresses in the Solomons area bombed Japanese installations at Kahili, on Bougainville Island, and targets on Shortland Island. Fires were started at Kahili, but the results of the attack on Shortland Island were not observed. “Bombers and fighters attacked Japanese positions at Rekata, on Ysabel Island. Two barges and one seaplane were strafed. The seaplane was set on fire. All our aircraft returned.”

AIR ATTACKS IN BURMA

(Rec. 8 p.m.) LONDON, May 12. A joint Indian communique says: “Yesterday Royal Air Force Hurricanes attacked enemy water transport on the Mayu river. A formation of fighters vigorously machine-gunned 50 supply sampans on the Irrawaddy between Kyauk-ye and Yenangyaung. All the sampans were damaged or destroyed. • , , “Last night Wellingtons attacked Kanguang airfield in Central Burma. Hits were scored on the runway and fires were started. Other Wellingtons bombed Meiktila airfield and the village of Yagyanbyin, on Akyab Island All our aircraft are safe.” On Tuesday 30 tons of bombs were dropped on an oil refinery south of Rangoon by American bombers, according to a Delhi communique. Large fires were started. One enemy aeroplane was destroyed and one damaged. Railways, rolling stock, and warehouses in occupied villages were also attacked.

FIGHTING IN HUNAN

JAPANESE SOUTH OF TUNGTING LAKE (Bgc. 7 p.m.) LONDON, May 12. “The potential Japanese threat to Changsha is increasing,” says the Chungking correspondent of the Associated Press. “The Japanese have established a foothold on the southern shore of the Tungting Lake after successive unsuccessful landing attempts. “The Chinese are now strengthening their positions south of the .lake in order to check further enemy penetrations. At the same time they are holding firmly on the west side, where the Japanese are apparenly trying to prevent Chinese reinforcements. reaching Changsha. Meanwhile, mobile Chinese columns operating from the northern shore of the lake have attacked Japanese forces which are trying to squeeze out all opposition between the Yangtse river and the Tungting Lake.” “Japanese columns attacking along the shores of the Tungting Lake, in Hunan Province, are preparing to use poison gas. As an excuse for this they are circulating false reports that the Chinese are using gas.” said a military spokesman at Chungking. The spokesman added that the Japanese had already used gas on at least 800 occasions during the war in China. The Tokyo radio claims that with the virtual completion of mopping up operations against the Chinese 24th Army, the main body of the Japanese on the Shansi-Honan border area has launched a punitive drive against 13,000 Chinese Communists. Two principal Chinese strongholds were captured, the radio claims, including the headquarters of the 18th Army.