THROUGH THE GAP

Evening Star, Issue 24297, 11 September 1942, Page 3

THROUGH THE GAP

JAP. AOVUGE IN HEW GUINEA GRAVER COMPLEXION ON SITUATION (N.Z.P.A. Special Aust. Correspondent) SYDNEY, September 10. The Japanese forces striking overland against Port Moresby Jiavo outflanked the Australian outpost positions at Myola, and fierce fighting is now taking place south of Efogi, 53 miles by trail from Port Moresby. The latest communique from General MacArthur’s headquarters states that the enemy launched a heavy infiltration attack, which is making headway. Efogi is 12 miles from Myola. The scene of the battle now in pro-' gress is along the narrow track leading across the ranges. The Japanese have passed the highest point in Hell’s Gap Pass, and are now down to 4,600 ft on the southern side of the mountains at Efogi. Though this new announcement from General MacArthur’s headquarters places an undeniably graver complexion on the situation, a final assessment is not possible at this stage. The Japanese are believed to be nearing contact with the main defensive line of the Australian forces, and the present fighting may decide possession of the pass area. On August 6 the headquarters spokesman described the Allies’ positions along the Owen Stanley Range as “ almost impassable.” INFILTRATION TACTICS. Nothing in to-day’s communique reveals the actual time taken by the Japanese to advance from Myola to Efogi. Wednesday’s communique, however, described the at Myola as static. One factor, which makes assessment of the situation difficult, is that in the rear of the Allied main positions, somewhere in the Efogi area, are numerous razor-backs. The _ country ahead of the enemy presents difficulties quite as great as those left behind, and many of the ravines are deeper than I,oooft. Allied defensive positions are believed to have been established at strategic points along the way. The headquarters spokesman stated to-day: “The threat to our positions must bo regarded as serious, though not yet grave. The Allied Air Force continues to support Australian ground troops by repeated bombing and strafing attacks against the advancing enemy.” , The Japanese air force has not been active in the area, and machine guns and mortars have been the principal weapons used by the enemy in their advance. Though their main forces appear to have kept to the trail, picked jungle troops have evidently been able to pursue the successful exploitation of their infiltration tactics in the rugged, heavy jungle country where, many Observers believed, the going would be beyond human endurance. DIFFICULT TERRAIN. To-day’s communique says the Australian brigades “ arc fighting tenaciously and gallantly under conditions of extreme hardship and difficulty.” They are under the commaend of LieutenantGeneral Sidney Rowell, who was Chief of Staff 4o General Sir Thomas Blarney in the Middle East. Efogi is 10 miles by trail from Hell’s Gap. Prom Efogi the trail winds across a series of sawtooth sub-ranges rising from 500 ft to almost 3,000 ft. _ Twenty-eight miles by trail from Efogi is Sogeri, which is 26 miles by traffic road from Port Moresby. It is at the foot of the ranges, and, the country near Port Moresby is flat. To-day’s communique also reports increased Japanese activity in the Lao and iSalamaua sectors, 4 where enemy patrols are active forward of Mubo. One correspondent, summing up the situation, says it is clear that the Japanese advance through the gap in the Owen Stanley Range has met with a measure of success not thought possible. It again shows that our forces have to contend with a tough, gritty, and resourceful enemy. There is no suggestion that the Allied troops will be unable to handle the situation, but it affords new evidence of Japan’s determination to strike at Australia. UNIFIED COSMSO URGES AMERICAN PAPER'S CRITICISM ' NEW GUINEA EVENTS DISTURBING (Rec. 11.50 a.in.) NEW YORK, Sept. 10. The New York ‘ World Telegram,’ in an editorial, says: “Things are not going so well in the South Pacific. While President Roosevelt was warning the nation that the Japanese would undoubtedly strike hard again they were doing just that. The Solomons landing is not surprising and probably not important except as fresh evidence of enemy tenacity regardless of cost, but the continued Japanese gains in New Guinea, where the Allies had months to perfect their defences, are disturbing. When the Japanese seized the - Gona and Buna bases and swept inland towards Kokoda the Australians criticised General MacArthur and his headquarters and said General MacArthur was unable to take Gona and Buna or keep out the Japs, because they controlled the seas there, but that the enemy could not move further south because of the high ami wellguarded Owen Stanley mountain passes. Despite that boast, the Japanese are now reported to be forcing MacArthur’s mountain passes and have also made another raiit on Milne Bay. “ It is impossible to fix the responsibility when there is a divided command such as afflicts the South Pacific. General MacArthur and Admiral Ghomiley are great commanders. Either is competent to take a unified command on the New Gninea-Solonion front. Then whv multiply army and navy rivalry and invite lack of co-operation by putting half an island chain under a general and Hie other half tinder an admiral and separating their headquarters hv over 5,000 miles from Australia to Hawaii?” SOLOMONS AREA AMERICANS ATTACK GIZO ISLAND WASHINGTON, September*9. “ Marines at Guadalcanal continue to attack detachments of Japanese who fled into the jungle ou August 7, and who have possibly been reinforced by a few troops landed since then undercover of darkness,” states a navy comI mnnique. “ A patrol plane on Septem- ! her 5 shot down a large Japanese flying boat north-east of the Solomons, and our aircraft on September C bombed and strafed enemy installations ou Gizo Island, in the New Georgia group, encountering no resistance.” The Associated Press says that naval circles have expressed the opinion that the American attack on Giao Island marks the start of offensive actions

against the .Japanese. They explain that American forces on Guadalcanal were hitherto preoccupied with defensive operations, presumably with developing a bomber base on Guadalcanal airfield. The attack on Gizo Island indicates that the offensive resources of the now Guadalcanal base have been brought into play. Therefore _ the Japanese must henceforth expect violent air blows against their remaining strongholds in the Solomons. Gizo is a heavily-wooded island, four to six miles in area, near Buka, the main Japanese base in the Solomons.