CAPTURE OF BUNA AND GONA

Grey River Argus, 23 November 1942, Page 4

CAPTURE OF BUNA AND GONA

Expected Quickly SYDNEY, Nov. 22. The expulsion of the Japanese from Papua' is now at hand according to the Australian Army Minister Mr. F. ? M. Forde. The capture of Buna and Gona appears to be imminent, and an advance Australian column, which has pushed forward with remarkable speed'is engaging the enemy on the outskirts of Gona. American troops in action for the first time in the New Guinea war, are making an assault on Buna. The main bodies of the Allied forces are in close- support of the advanced units. The latest news is that they are within one mile of Gona and two miles from Buna. An American column, driving east Mong the coast, has struck Japanese machine-gun and artillery positions I two miles east of Buna. A second American force, advancing from the south, met mortar and machine-gun fire, but quickly overcame these enemy outposts. „ . While one Australian force is attacking the defences at Goha, . the main Australian force is driving against Soputa, ten miles from Buna, , where the enemy is believed to have (■ his ma’n defences. Some units ol Australians and Americans are _ reported to have joined for a combined 'assault. , The Australians have taken iiftyI six days to reach their objective. They I began the offensive to drive the Japanese out of Papua on September 25, starting from Toribaiwa village, fifty- v six miles north of Port Moresby. PRAISE FOR MACARTHUR.

(Rec 9.10) NEW YORK. Nov. 21. "The “New York Daily News” in an editorial, said: Though the Southwest Pacific is still divided between the United States Army and Navy, evidently the MacArthur-Halsey team is able to overcome the fundamental divided command handicao. Everyone knows what Admiral Halsey has done, but what about General MacArthur since he was side-tracked in- > Io Australia with slender equipment? The answer is that the old fox of Bataan has not been idle. The story of his achievements is a' great story, which should not be blanketed by more spectacular news from the Solomons or Africa. If we get Lae and Salamiaua, New Guinea will be ours to restore with a flourish to the Bri- • tish Emn’ie. All this General MacArthur has accomplished with forces that are estimated not to exceed- ' forty thousand. His achievements , are‘sahited bv military observers as remarkable. If our leaders gave him. ample men and equipment, instead of occasionally applauding his shoestring near-miracles, there is no telling what the old master might do towards shortening -the war.