FORCED TO RETIRE

Evening Post, Volume CXXXIV, Issue 77, 28 September 1942, Page 5

FORCED TO RETIRE

FORWARD TROOPS OF

ENEMY

(By Telegraph—Press Association— Copyright.) (Special Australian Correspondent.) SYDNEY, September 27. War activity in the South-west Pacific during the past two days has established a satisfactory credit of Allied successes. Japanese forward troops have been forced to withdraw from some of their advanced positions in the Owen Stanley Ranges. Though slight, the Australian advance is regarded as significant, as a knoll of some strategic importance was occupied in Friday's drive. No change has occurred in the general location of the fighting, which is still lorabaiwi. A further land success in another sector in New Guinea has been scored in the Bulolo Valley, where Australian troops counter-attacked vigorously against Japanese moving inland from Salamaua, winning back a position south of Mubo village, about 12 miles from the coast. Allied heavy bombers did considerable damage to Japanese shipping at Rabaul. On Friday a direct hit was scored on a medium-sized cargo vessel. On Saturday a 1000-pound bomb struck another transport amidships, and three possible hits were scored on a third vessel.

JAP TRANSPORT SUNK.

COVERING PROGRESS

Another Japanese transport was sunk when it was attacked by bombers on Saturday off Trobriand Island. A direct hit was scored and fires broke out, gutting the vessel. Before their most important land sudcess on the Owen Stanley front, Australian patrols on Thursday night found the Japanese dug in near lorabaiwi. At dawn on Friday, supported by 25-pounder artillery, strong Australian forces moved to the attack. Blinding rain and heavy mist hid their advance, restricting visibility to a few yards. During the past few days, rains have turned the jungle mud into a'quagmire. Our troops forced their way forward through mud sometimes almost knee deep. These rains herald the approach of fiie wet season which reaches its height in November. Australian-made 25-pounder guns "softened" the Japanese positions for the infantrymen. These guns are heavier than any used by the Japanese in this sector. The enemy 75-milli-metre gun fires a shell weighing 15 to 18 pounds. The Australian guns had to be dragged up the mountain ridges from Port Moresby, and those of the Japanese were carried in sections over the longer trail from Kokoda.. Our 25-pounders are not guns which can be taken to pieces for convenience of carriage. HELPED BY AIR ATTACKS. This check to the enemy drive has undoubtedly been assisted by the continual pressure'of Allied air attacks on the "Japanese supply line from Buna through Kokoda and across the ranges. However, there is no let-up in the enemy attempt to get supplies to his forward troops. A long section of corduroy (logmade) road has been laid across the swampy country south of Kokoda and the treacherous jungle track is being widened. The bridge across the Kunusi River, at Wairqpi, a vital point of the enemy supply line, remains a favourite target for Allied raids. Fighter Kittyhawks, specially equipped to carry four bombs, partially demolished - the bridge again on Friday. The enemy base at Buna was raided both on Friday and Saturday. For 11 days there has been no let-up in these attacks. On Friday more than 10 tons of bombs were dropped on • the aerodrome. Troops in the Salamaua area who were forced to give ground before the weight of the initial' Japanese thrust at Mubo were regrouped; they attacked and drove back the enemy. These troops are regarded as Australia's best jungle fighters. FIGHTING IN FOREST. They are operating independently and have lived in deep ' forest for many months, using every trick of bushcraft to waylay and kill Japanese patrols. They have, been conspicuously successful. Heavy Allied air attacks against enemy shipping at Rabaul and off Trobriand Island, north-east of New Guinea, were merely part of the air activity which has flared up over a" wide area in the South-west Pacific theatre. Increasing activity has been shown by the Japanese air force both in raids and interception. Ineffectual raids were made on Darwin by small forces of enemy planes on Friday and Saturday nights. When a R.A.A.F. Lockheed-Hudson was hunting a Japanese ship off Dilli, Timor, it was intercepted by four Zeros. Two of the enemy fighters were shot down.

BATTLE OF SOLOMONS WHERE ENEMY FAILS NEW YORK, September 26. The battle of the Solomons is just commencing, while the marines who recently received supplies and reinforcements are tenaciously clinging to the beach-head at Guadalcanar, writes Mr. Hanson Baldwin in the "New York Times" in a dispatch from somewhere in the South Pacific. Against the only airfield in the southern Solomons,' the Japanese are concentrating their attacks, shouting: "American marines, you die." The enemy is bombing from planes' and shelling from submarines. The Japanese are deceitful, cunning, ruthless, well equipped, and the best jungle fighters in the'world. They use all sorts of tricks, particularly at night, to entice the enemy to reveal his position. For example, there is the "musical trap." Some Japanese whistle the Marine Corps hymn or the American Reveille, while others in the dark jungle call "Smith," or even the correct name of the directing American officer. If the marines incautiously expose themselves in compliance to supposed orders of their superiors, they are immediately killed.

The Japanese also imitate bird calls and animal noises to cover their rustling progress through the jungle. On other occasions, they inch their way through the grass, almost noiselessly, and wait patiently for hours lashed to treetops or neck deep in swamps. The Japanese equipment on Guadalcanar is well adapted for warfare in the green hell. They do not possess artillery and tanks, but automatic rifles, knives, and an ingenious little grenade-throwing mortar which one man can carry. Their grenades are much more effective than the Americans'. Though tough and confident, the Japanese show at least dne great weakness on Guadalcanal-. Regardless of circumstances or the hopelessness of a particular path of action, and regardless of opposition, they stubbornly and • fatalistically adhere to (the plan