BATTLE OF BUNA

Grey River Argus, 26 November 1942, Page 5

BATTLE OF BUNA

FIERCE FIGHTING ALLIED SUPERIORITY In Land and Air Forces [Aust. & N.Z. Cable Assn.] SYDNEY, November 25. The Japanese forces at Buna are expected to resist to the bitter end. War- correspondents, however, declare the Papuan campaign is now nearing conclusion. An original <i(J square miles of beach head held by the enemy has now been whittled down to a narrow four-mile coastal strip, pitted with malarial swamps. Heavy rain is assisting the Japanese in their last stand. It has hampered the movement of Allied reinforcements and supplies. However, the main enemy position at Buna is deteriorating badlv as the result of Allied’flanking attacks by the combined American-Australian force, which has completed the occupation of the Sangara area, and is now in a posi- ' tion to cut Buna off from San Ananda and thrust against the rear of the Japanese defences. Thousands of troops are stated to be involved in the final vital struggle for Buna, where the enemy is strongly entrenched. CAPTURE OF GONA. SYDNEY, November 25. Australian troops, earlier captured Gona Point. They are advancing against San Ananda, where enemy positions have been softened by the relentless Allied air attacks. Only a small Japanese force defended Gona. Some of the enemy are believed to have been evacuated from Gona by small boats, but it is not certain tliat they have been removed from the fighting area. They mav have been taken along the coast to Buna. JAPS. FURTHER CORNERED. (Rec. 10.26) SYDNEY. Nov. 25. On the north Papuan coast in the Buna-Gona area, land fighting continues with undiminished fierceness. Both at Sanananada Point and at Buna, Allied artillery units are employing twentv-five pounder guns and thirty-seven millimetre guns. Buna is still the main centre of the land fighting. There the Japanese foitces are resisting desperately American efforts to invest the Buna mission and the main aerodrome areas. ■ There was a small Japanese force bv-passed at Gona by the main Ausfensive would have been impracticThis enemv force is still holding out. More than one hundred enemy dead has been counted near Gona village, and many more have been reported to be scattered along the beach and under: palm trees. The Allies in Papua have- the advantage of larger land forces than the Japanese, as well as air superiority. Without this the present ofAirocobtas all took part in the raidable. MERCILESS BOMBING Of Japanese Forces IN BUNA AREA (Special to N.Z. Press Assn.) (Rec. 10.10) SYDNEY, Nov. 25. One hundred Allied planes, on Tuesday, subjected the Japanese forces who are hemmed in the narrow Buna-Gona area to the most concentrated pounding of the New Guinea campaign. All day Allied aircraft' flew over the coastal strip, bombing and strafing everj' sighted target. . , Flying Fortresses, North American Marauders, Havocs, Beaufighters and Aairocobras all took part in the raiding. Sanananada Point was raided nine times during the day. “I would hate to have- been in the shoes of the Japanese,” commented one Allied officer, who had a closeup view of the attacks. The Japanese machine-gun nests and artillery positions were silenced, and concentrations of Japanese troops were heavily punished. This air activity was one-sided. There were no Japanese aircraft in the sky. JAPANESE NAVY KEEPS CLEAR OF BUNA (Rec. 10.20) SYDNEY, Nov. 25. Although the Japanese are conceded to hold naval supremacy in northern New Guinea waters, no further enemy sea efforts appear to have been made to relieve the Japanese Papuan force around Buna by sea. . x’ 4. War correspondents suggest tnat i Japanese warships have found it too expensive to run the gauntlet ot Allied bombings. LAE BOMBED (Rec. 10.20) SYDNEY, Nov. 25. To hamper the enemy air force in New Guinea Flying Fortresses made a night attack at Lae. They dropped thousand-pound bombs on the runways and dispersal areas ot Lae aerodromes. Lae is the main base for close Japanese air support in Papuan operations. Australian Successes i POINT TO NEW GUINEA TRIUMPH. (Rec. 12.40.) CANBERRA.. Nov. 25. The Army Minister (Mr F. id. Forde) to-day said: “The Australian successes in pushing the Japanese back over the Owen Stanley Range and down to Buna have ranked with some of the greatest Allied achievements in this war, and have proven that the Australians have the measure of the Japanese.” The Minister added that the campaign showed conclusivelv that, given adequate equipment and air assistance. Australians had no superiors as soldiers. This news, and the combined efforts of the American and Australians in New Guinea, augured well for future successes in that area. Raid on Darwin JAPANESE INEFFECTIVE). (Rec. 10.20) SYDNEY, Nov. 25. _ The only Japanese offensive fti* activity of late has been a night raid on Port Darwin. The enemy sent over eighteen navy type bombers. There was no damage done and no casualties were caused. Allied Kittyhawk planes made their first successful night interceptiom shooting down one bomber. A second bomber was brought down by antiaircraft fire.