NEW GUINEA BATTLE

Evening Star, Issue 24296, 10 September 1942, Page 5

NEW GUINEA BATTLE

FIGHTING ON KQKODA FRONT ALLIED FORGES PUSHED BACK (N.Z.P.A. Special Aust. Correspondent) SYDNEY, September 9. The land war on tho Kokoda front in New Guinea has developed beyond mere patrol skirmishing, and the Japanese appear to bo throwing in the greatest force they are able to supply from their North Papuan coastal base at Buna. Ac Myola the advancing Japanese are stated to have left behind them tho worst part of the climb from Kokoda to Hell’s Gap. The pass itself, however, crosses four razor-backs which will oiler increasing hazards to the enemy. While observers arc frankly disquieted by tho news of the Japanese advance to Myola the opinion is still generally held that tho enemy will bo incapable of developing a strong backdoor land attack against Port Moresby from this quarter at present.. Tho Japanese gains have been made with reckless disregard for losses. HEAVY CASUALTIES. Tho main fighting is now stated to have occurred last Friday and Saturday. In spite of heavy casualties the Japanese contrived to infiltrate around Allied outposts, our limited forces being compelled to fight their way out of a tightening ring, though not without losses. By Sunday severe Japanese pressure compelled tho Allied commander to withdraw his forces to a plateau about 2,000 ft below the gap. It is this front which our troops now hold. The possibility of a further Allied withdrawal is generally admitted, but it is pointed out that as the enemy moves further away from Buna his supply problems will be greatly aggravated, while those of the retiring Australian forces will be correspondingly diminished. HARDSHIPS SUFFERED. The hardships of the recent fighting continue to bo revealed. A New Zealander, Osmar White, who has just returned from the Kokoda front, writes in tho ‘ Daily Telegraph ’ as follows: “ One unit which bore the brunt of the enemy attack for several weeks while the defence of, the mountains proper was developed has written a proud chapter iu Australian history. It fought almost constantly, day and night, inflicting heavy casualties on the enemy. During tho whole of the time the men had not one night’s unbroken sleep. They existed on rations scantier than those of the average coolie, and never once did they have a change of dry clothing. During the first 40 days they were iu action it rained on 36 of them. The force slept in bush without even grass shelter. These troops, most of whom were youngsters, came out much below their original strength. Every man was thin, feverridden, and exhausted, but still full of fight. “ The most serious engagements,” says White, “ have occurred in dank, dripping forest at a range of 10 yards, and even then the opposing troops were often unable to see each other. For close-quarter fighting the Japanese used bush knives and swords. As tho enemy supply line lengthens their vulnerability to attack from Allied aircraft will be increased. In addition a number of ravines, ridges, and turbulent mountain torrents in the area will increase the difficulties of, continued infiltration, so far exploited by the Japanese with such skill and determination.” NEW ENCOUNTER. A new encounter with tho Japanese iu New Guiue.a is reported, states the N.Z.P.A. special correspondent in a later message. Fighting has been reopened on tho north coast about 10 miles from tho Japanese base at Salamaua, where our forward elements engaged the enemy. The ground fighting in the KokodaMyola area is believed now to be at an altitude of 6,000 ft in tho pass ap-> proaches to Hell’s Gap leading to Port Moresby across the Owen Stanley Range. To-day’s communique from General MacArthur’s headquarters describes the situation as “ static.” This is understood to mean that there has been no appreciable change. ENEMY WARSHIPS BOMBED. Attacks on Japanese warships have been made by Allied aircraft in the New Guinea area. The first attack on Monday was on two warships off Normanby Island, 25 miles north-east of Milne Bay. The results were not observed. The second attack on Japanese warships was made off Trobnand Island, about 100 miles north-east of Milne Bay, and a destroyer is believed to have been damaged. These air attacks were part of widespread operations throughout the New Guinea area. It is probable that tho same vessels were attacked on each occasion. Allied planes first located tho warships about dusk on Monday, the raids being made with medium bombers and fighters and Australianmade Bristol Beaufort torpedo bombers. Visibility was poor, and the results could not bo observed. On Tuesday air reconnaissance found Japanese warships, probably the same vessels, about 80 miles away. Two strong attacks were made and a destroyer is believed to have been heavily hit. JAPANESE BOMB MILNE BAY. The Japanese on Tuesday launched an air attack on Milne Bay. Nine heavy bombers with fighter escort attacked Australian installations, causing slight damage and casualties. Enemy ground forces iu this area have now been almost eliminated, and Japanese casualties are estimated at 700. At Mullins Bay, about 20 miles from Milue Bay on the south coast of Now Guinea, three damaged Mitsubishi divebombers wore found on the beach. They are believed to have been disabled in Allied air sweeps over Milne Bay on August 27 and 28. The enemy landing party at .Milne Bay has been identified as the Kure No. 1 landing force, probably being connected with tho well-known Japanese naval base of the same name at Nagasaki. To-day’s communique also reveals a fresh air blow against the Japanese at Buna, the northern terminus of tho Hell’s Gap track to Moresby via Kokoda. Beached barges wore destroyed. A headquarters spokesman explained to a war correspondent that these barges are continually moving between enemy positions on the north const of New Guinea, and their mention in tho communique does not mean that fresh Japanese reinforcements have been landed at Buna, Forward elements opposing the ground troops are fighting at Mubo, a native village near Salamaua. which on Monday was bombed by Allied aircraft. | ENEMY PREPARING BIG THRUST | WASHINGTON, September 8. j Tho ‘ Washintgon Star ’ corresponIdcnt says tho Japanese are believed to bo preparing for- a desperate thrust to regain the advantage iu the’Pacific.

“ The Japanese are massing in mandated islands north-west of New Guinea for a real showdown, and a sea armada is preparing to-hit Allied lines of communication,” says the paper. “ Concern is also felt here over reports that the Allied lines to New Guinea are insufficiently protected, and that the Japanese infiltration tactics are still not sufficiently understood. Americans returning from the Pacific say that the Japanese are likely to continue send-, ing out small forces to lie low until hundreds are built into thousands for a vigorous all-out attack.” JAPAN PREPARES FOR LONG WAR CHUNGKING, September 8. The Japanese army spokesman, Colonel Hayao, warned the Japanese to prepare for a long war and an American couutei’-offensive, which will be launched xvhen United States total armament is completed. The Tokio official radio, quoting Colonel Hayao, said: “Because the United Nations are determined to fight to a finish, the Japanese people should bo grateful for General To jo’s declaration that Japan will fight for 100 years if necessary.” AN AUSTRALIAN OPINION MELBOURNE, September 9. The Chief Justice, Sir John Latham, the first Australian Minister to Japan, told a public meeting: “ As I think of our trying to fight a way back through Malaya and the Philippines. I can see the war going on for 50 years.” There could be no real defeat for Japan until Tokio, Kobe, Osaka, and Nagoya were bombed heavily, he said, and there would bo no division among the Japanese otherwise. The Japanese were patriotic to an extent we were hardly able to understand. 'iHe entirely disagreed with the view that-if there had been no “ White Australia ” policy the war with Japan might have been avoided. “If wo had not had a White Australia we would have had 1,000,000 or more Japanese hero today, and we would have- been in a hopeless position,” said Sir John. FANATICAL DESIRE TO KILL JAPANESE TRAPPED AT MILNE BAY (N.Z.P.A. Special Aust. Correspondent) SYDNEY, September 9. ■ So fanatical have been the trapped remnants of the Japanese force at Milne Bay in their desire to kill that when their ammunition lias been exhausted they have attacked with knives. One wounded Australian soldier, weakened by loss of blood, propped himself against a tree and fought off a Japanese knifeman for six hours until ho was rescued by a patrol. His ammunition was expended, but he managed to keep his foe oft with his rifle and bayonet. At night Japanese knifemen frequently attempted to creep upon unwary sentries. An Australian officer back from the Milne Bay fighting said many enemy snipers were stripped to the waist, their heads shaved, and their faces and bodies painted green. Thus grotesquely camouuaiied, they tied themselves into treetops and would wait indefinitely until Australians were lured into the iuimlo by small parties. Dozen of these snipers were killed and their bodies left daneling when Kittyhawk' pilots, sprayed the treetops with their machine guns'. Japanese sniners had special hoots fitted with hooks for tree climbing. and some wore bullet-proof vests.