KEY POSITION WON

Evening Post, Volume CXXXIV, Issue 107, 2 November 1942, Page 5

KEY POSITION WON

SUCCESS IN PAPUA

(By Telegraph—Press Asttociation—Copyright.) (Special Australian Correspondent.) SYDNEY,. November 1. Australian troops, who captured Alola village on I'r/iday are now pushing along the last northern spur of the OweiA Stanley Range. This is an impo/ttant strategical gain since the Japanese have thus been driven frotn the narrowest and most easily defended section of the Eora Valley area. The next objective is Isurava village on the same ridgjg as Alola and about two hours' marcE away. The advanc- ■ ing troops have still to contend with heavy forest and precipitous terrain, 1 but to the nortih,, beyond Isurava, the going favours faster action. A spur, of wfoich the northern extremity is now being defended by the Japanese, has been the main strongpoint in the ejaemy defensive system in the heights/ of the ranges. In this , area, the Australian advance has been slowed flown to about seven miles in 14 days. Fierce fig Wing occurred on Wednesday, but slackened off on Thursday, and the occupation of Alola village was finally accomplished with little opposition. The village is slightly off the main "track and comprises seven grass huts, mostly burnt out by bombings. It is. seven and a half air miles from Kobfcoda, where the Japanese hold the only airfield in central Papua. Past laurava, the track drops steeply through Deniki to Kokoda, which is 5000 ffeet below Isurava and only 1200 fe<H above sea level. In air attacks supporting the Australian troops, planes on Saturday strafed targets of opportunity near Isurava. The enemy's north Papuan bases at Lac, Salamaua, and bßuna have also been attacked by medium bombtenrs.