NEW GUINEA OFFENSIVE

Grey River Argus, 12 May 1944, Page 5

NEW GUINEA OFFENSIVE

INCREASED BY AIRCRAFT Japs Leave Hollandia Area (Special to N.Z. Press Assn). (Rec. 9.30) SYDNEY, May 11. Japanese forces have abandoned the perimeter of the defence area north of Hollandia aerodrome in Dutch blew Guinea. They have left behind many booby traps. In the latest engagements, American patrols killed sixtytwo Japanese, ana captured thirtytwo near Lake Sentani and on the slopes of the Cyclops Mountains. At Hollandia, 977 Japanese have been killed and 259 captured, while at Aitape, 525 have been killed and 31 captured. American forces at Hollandia, New Guinea have recaptured 621 tormer prisoners of the enemy. They include 462 Sikhs, the remainder being Americans, Australians, Dutch, Chinese, Filipinos, Poles and Czechoslovaks. At Aitape, British New Guinea, Americans released 86 Javanese, who were prisoners of the enemy. General MacArthur’s air offensive against enemy bases in Outch New Guinea and in islands to the north of Australia is being maintained and increased. Mokomer airfield, on Schouten Island. Geelvink Bay, remains a' number one .priority target. Liberators attacked this area on Monday. They destroyed a parked bomber and sank a small coastal vessel. They met no enemy air opposition. There are two Allied planes missing from a raid on the Penfoei airfield, on Timor Island. In Kai Islands, Langgoer and Faan airfields have been hit with twentythree tons of bombs, while Beaufighters strafed supply areas in the Aru Islands. Over a hundred tons of bombs were expended in the latest attacks on supply dumps and defence installations around Wewak. 1.502 JAPANESE CASUALTIES. IN NEW GUINEA. (Rec. 10.35.) SYDNEY, May 11. Japanese casualties since the Hollandia and Aitape landings on April 22, now total 1,502 killed and 290 prisoners. The details are: Hollandia: 977 killed; 259 captured. Aitape: 525 killed; 31 captured.