KATIKA RETAKEN

Grey River Argus, 23 October 1943, Page 5

KATIKA RETAKEN

BY THE JAPANESE i Two Miles from Finschhafen SHARP FIGHTING CONTINUES (Special to N.Z. Press Assn.) SYDNEY, 0ct.22. Intermittent ground fighting is still occurring north of Finschhafen. General MacArthur’s communique to-day stated: Both sides are receiving aerial support. During the night, 30 Japanese ’planes attacked our rear area, causing minor damage and casualties. During the day our fighters intercepted six escorted enemy bombers, shooting down four, as well as one fighter, and probably destroying another two bombers. We lost one ’plane, the pilot being saved (Rec. 7.50) SYDNEY, Oct. 22.. The isolated Japanese troops m New Guinea have recaptured tne village of Katika. The village is about two miles north of Finschhafen, and about one mile from the completely cut off from supplies, and faced with annihilation ■the trapped Japanese force, numbering several thousand men, is making a desperate drive towards the coast. . . . T _ The Ninth Division of the A.l.h. is astride of ithe Japanese (escape corridor. The Australians have repulsed all the enemy’s frontal attacks, but the Japanese made some progress by infiltrating at night. It is emphasised at General MacArthur’s headquarters that the enemy attacks have not been directed against Finschhafen, which fell to the Australian forces on October 2, but they consist of an attempt to reach the sea between Finschhafen and the Song River, in order to establish barge contact with Japanese forces that are further north, along the ’New Guinea coast Even if Hie Japanese succeed in reaching the coast, the Allies have air control of the Vitiaz Strait, which imperils any organised evacuation. The present Japanese drive has been launched from the Satelberg area, six miles inland from Finschhafen. There is only one trail leading north from Satelberg. It is a difficult track over mountainous country. This could not be used to transport supplies in sufficient quantites for a large force. Since their capture of Finschhafen the Allied troops have counted a total of more than six hundred and fifty Japanese dead in the area. The present fighting is officially described as “sharp.”

General MacArthur to-day reported: There have been widespread air actions throughout the South and South-west Pacific. Twenty-three Japanese aircraft have been destroyed and several others probably destroyed or damaged. Off Dutch New Guinea, our heavy bombers sank a 4,500-ton freighter transport, with two direct hits.

When one of our heavy reconnaissance units was attacked over the Bismarck Sea by a total of 22 Japanese fighters, it destroyed three, probably destroyed two others, and damamed three.