FALL OF SATELBERG

Grey River Argus, 27 November 1943, Page 5

FALL OF SATELBERG

EXPECTED SOON Enemy Attacks Fail (Special to N.Z. Press Assn.) SYDNEY, Nov. 25.. Australian troops are now within 400 yards of the summit of the Satelberg Heights on the Huon Peninsula, New Guinea. Fine weather during the past few' days hardened the track surfaces and heavy Matilda tanks, which have been the main contributing factor towards the rapid Australian advance, may now be able to drive right on to the final objective. The Japanese have fought a stubborn defensive action, their known casualties numbering more than 3000, while the Australian casualties have been a mere fraction of this total. The figures are made even more remarkable by the fact that the Australians have been attacking uphill against strong prepared positions. The use of tanks and heavy aerial and artillery bombardment, combined with the excellent jungle-craft of the A.I.F. troops, accounts for the disparity in the casualty rate. (Rec. 8.30) SYDNEY, Nov. 26. Satelberg, in New Guinea, where the Japanese have fought tenaciously to retain their last foothold on the Huon Peninsula, is under pressure from three sides by Australian troops, who now are only a few 1 hundred yards from the township. A few 'miles away, however, on the coasty, Australian trioops [have repulsed several sharp Japanese counter-attacks, near the mouth of the Song River. In one such action the Japanese lost twenty killed. It was just north of the Song River that Australian troops recently cut an important enemy supply trail leading from the coast to Satelberg. Allied aircraft are assisting to disrupt the Japanese communications. On Wednesday they almost wiped out the enemy-occupied village of Kalasa, near Sio. Sio is north of Finschhafen. It is an important Japanese barge base. It probably has been a staging point for stores for the Satelberg garrison. The war correspondents in the area expect the fall of Satelberg early. War correspondents in the area report that captured Japanese defences include deep-cut gun positions and timbered foxholes linked in depth by an elaborate system of crawl trenches. During the past few days, the retreating Japanese have left behind a number of messages to the Australians. These are being eagerly sought by souvenir hunters. One boastfully optimtistic message read: "Good-bye friends. We will see you in Australia. If you do not know it those behind you know that our forces are stronger than yours.” Now imminent! the fall of Satelberg will mean the end of organised Japanese resistance on Huon Peninsula. Finschhafen. which was captured from the Japanese on October 2, was the starting point for the present Australian offensive. The enemy forces there retreated to Satelberg, where they had prepared strong defensive positions after the fall of Finschhafen. Later in the month they made a vain and costly attempt to break through to the coast again. JAPS MAKE ATTACK SYDNEY, Nov. 26. Several J'apanese counter-attacks against Australian forward positions at Satelberg have been repulsed General McArthur's communique to-day reports. Enemy air support in the area was ineffectual.