BORNEO INVASION

Grey River Argus, 11 July 1945, Page 5

BORNEO INVASION

NEW DUTCH LANDING Australians Continue Their Advances WIDESPREAD ALLIED AIR ATTACKS. MANILA, July 9. General MacArthur announced that Netherlands troops made, two amphibious landings on the north shore of Balikpapan. (Rec. 5.5). WASHINGTON, J'uly’9. General MacArthur,, in his latest communique, states: Netherlands East Indies forces have made two amphibious landings on the northern shore of Balikpapan Bay, further extending our control of the shore area around the bay. ' . • The Australian Seventh Division and Ninth Division have continued their advances respectively in the Balikpapan and Brunei Bay sectors on both sides of Borneo. Air units and light naval units have effectively attacked enemy troop concentrations and isolated garrisons. Our bombers have continued _ the neutralisation of enemy, air fertilities throughout Celebes. Our bombers caused large fires at the Malang aerodrome, m Java, near Soerabaya. , , Our medium and fighter bombers have attacked isolated enemy groups in northern New Guinea. They also have supported Australian ground troops in the Wewak sector of New Guinea, and on Bougainville Island, and have narrassed enemy positions in the Bismarck Islands. A unit of the Australian Navy has bombarded enemy defences in the Buka passage, supporting the Australians in their Bougainville operations. Heavy and medium air units bombed* airfields, industrial targets, storage areas, gun positions, and railroad equipment in Formosa. They struck Moto Island, off the south-east coast of Taiharo, and a sugar refinery on the east coast, and installations m the Pescadores Islands. One of our planes was lost. , ~ , Our long-range search planes, blockading the Asiatic coast, started large fires in military installations at Canton, bombed a housing area m Amoy harbour, and set fire to a freightertransport off Hainan Island.

AUSTRALIANS OPPOSED WITH BLAZING OIL.

(Rec. 11.40.) NEW YORK, July 10. Australians, continuing to . DUSii< northwards beyond ■ Manggar airheld, have encountered blazing oil drums in their path, these adding to stiffening Japanese resistance. Fiery road blocks were the latest effort to delay the seizure of the prized Sambodja oilfields. Japanese coastal guns were also turned inland to rake the Australian advance. DUTCH NATIVE FORCES. (Rec. 11.10.) NEW YORK, July 10. The Netherlands forces on Balikpapan Bay mentioned in the communique mostly are Indonesians under Dutch officers, but include Dutch West Indians. They met small arms and gunfire from small Japanese boats as they landed on Teakteband Peninsula; but quickly secured a beachhead. WELLINGTON, July 10. General MacArthur reported at Manila that the Australian Seventh Division in the south-east of Borneo, and the Australian Ninth Division in north-west Borneo, have continued to advance. An Australian official report says:— In the Balikpapan area more Jap counter-attacks have been made on our positions at the eastern end of Manggar airstrip. The first attack was launched late on Saturday afternoon when our troop's had occupied a gun emplacement which was the scene of an artillery duel between our 25 pounders and the enemy's coast defence guns. On occupation, it was found that the gun emplacement was protected by steel doors, one of which had been knocked out by our shells. This first attack was unsuccessful, but within four hours the Japs came again. The fight lasted ah hour and a-half, and the enemy was forced to retire again. At five minutes past midnight yesterday he made a further attack on our troops, who had advanced to the end of the strip. In all these engagements the Japs lost heavily. , , „ An enemy artillery post vyest ot Manggar River has been active, and enemy, troops appear to be concentrating on some s.teep hills about tv o miles north-west of the Sepinggang airstrip. A desperate attempt is being made by the Japanese to halt the Australian drive north-east from Balikpapan along the Milford highway, the main inland road to Samarin'da. The enemy is using automatic weapons from prepared bunker positions, and is supported by heavy dual purpose ack-ack guns firing airbursting shells. We are replying with six pound tank attack guns, mortars and artillery. On the west side of Milford highway the Japs have been contained in several positions by our encircling troops, and the enemy positions are being mercilessly hammered by 25 pounders. One shell . landed in a bunker, decimating its defenders, while another destroyed an ammunition dump. . , , The Milford highway is a roaa oi craters, scattered houses, lines of burnt-out trucks, and here and there a destroyed searchlight. Other features east of Balikpapan town and east of Klandasan River have been occupied. Directly west of the town where Australian and Dutch troops occupy. Baroe Peninsula, an infantry loice crossed the Soember River to capture Soember village. The river separates the Baroe and Soember Peninsula. There was some opposition, and during the day 15 enemy craft containing about 70 troops tried to escape down the river. They were engaged bv our troops on the high ground of Baioe Peninsula, and four craft were forced to turn back. . Across Balikpapan Bay m the Fenadjam area, patrolling is being carried out by prau and on foot.. In the Labuan area, continuing their drive north of Beaufort along the J’esselton railway, elements of the Ninth Division have driven to a point two miles north-enst of Membaku. No contact was made with the enemy. The same nil result was reported by our patrols along the Damit River. A nartv numbering between 10 and 15 Japs attacked our Lumaden positions early on Saturday morning. They were armed with light machine-guns and grenade dischargers. Routine patrolling continues without contact with the enemy in the Brunei, Lawas and Seria areas. . . ... A natrol south of the Min lulls killed four of the enemy and took four prisoners. Another patrol found the Liku pump station and railway line intact. On Tarakan five Japanese weie killed and four taken Prisoner on Saturday. Guerrillas killed anothei’ twelve.