FINSCHHAFEN AREA

Evening Star, Issue 25005, 26 October 1943, Page 3

FINSCHHAFEN AREA

JAPANESE FORCES TRAPPED ESCAPE WAY TO SEA DEFINITELY SEALED

(N.Z.P.A. Special Aust. Correspondent)

SYDNEY, October 25. , Now that escape to the sea is deli- I nitelv cut off, the enemy in the Finsehhafen area may dig in and light, but they will face considerable supply problems. The only outlet for these troops is by narrow inland trails to the far north coast, but the trails are believed to be totally inadequate for an attempt at any large-scale evacuation. After being driven out of Ivitika village, only a mile from the coast, early on Friday morning, the Japanese took up positions about a mile to the west, from which they have since withdrawn. They had held their most forward positions for three days. SHIPPING DAMAGED. General MacArthur's latest communique states: " Heavv damage was done when our escorted medium bombers made a low-level attack on Dagua, But. the aerodromes at Wewak, and on shipping in the harbour. Twenty gromfded aircraft were destroyed. Two 1.000-ton cargo ships were sunk and a third was damaged. Sixteen barges were also destroyed, aud three of 28 intercepting enemy fighters were shot down, with three others probably destroyed. Four of our fighters are missing. In a surprise night attack at Buka (Bougainville) a heavy reconnaissance bomber scored three direct hits on the deck of a large vessel resembling an aircraft carrier, causiug a large explosion and fire. At Choiseul Admiral Halsey's aircraft attacked a corvette, leaving it settling by the stern. For three hours and a-half they strafed I 24 enemy barges, effectively dispersing them."

SEVENTH AUSTRALIAN DIVISION. The Australian troous who drove the Japanese out of the Markham and Ramu valleys in New Guinea are elements of the famous Seventh Division of the A.I.F. Thev became Australia's first airborne division, and then reverted to " footsloggers." The Seventh Division beat the Ninth Division into Lae by two hours following their landing from the air at Nadzab. They are commanded by George Vasey, who. after distinguishing himself in the Middle East. _ directed last year's land offensive against the Japanese across the Owen Stanley Range. in the present drive in the Ramu Valley the general's lean, erect figure is a familiar sight in the forward areas. He habitually wears his general's cap, with its bright red band, and his impressive row of ribbons. "General Vasev's staff officers privately deplore the risks he takes," writes an Australian war correspondent in New Guinea. " but his men admire him enormously."