LUTONG LANDING

Evening Post, Volume CXXXIX, Issue 147, 23 June 1945, Page 7

LUTONG LANDING

AUSTRALIAN DIVISION

WASHINGTON, ; June 21

Preceded by an intensive preparation of beach approaches, units of the 9th Australian Division in a shore-to-shore operation, landed unopposed at Lutong, the refinery centre/of Seria and Miri oilfields, 80 miles down the coast from Brunei Bay in north-west Borneo, says General Mac Arthur's communique. The American 37th Division, securing the area surrounding Ilagon on Luzon, routed an enemy force four miles southeast and destroyed eight flame-throwing tanks. Thirty-five miles further north down the Cagayan Valley guerrillas crossed the Gagayan River and captured Tuguegarao against scattered resistance. Large quantities of food, ammunition, and ordnance supplies were taken.

The 33rd Division, driving north of Bokod, secured the Daklan airstrip.

On Mindanao our forces carried out extensive patrols and mopping-up operations. ' Labuan Island - based fighters damaged a number of grounded enemy planes at Keningau. Other aircraft struck the Kudat area northward while heavies dropped 130. tons on the Balik Papan area and started fires in the Kuching shipyards.

Our aircraft continued the neutralisation of Formosa and dropped. 240 tons. A night fighter shot down an enemy transport) over Kaputsua airfield and aij) severely damaged two coastal freighters. Long-range search planes patrolled the South China Sea, penetrated inland, attacked enemy lines of communication, and started large fires in Canton. Light naval units harassed coastal targets in the Halmaheras.