DIFFICULTIES OF TERRAIN

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume 77, 9 October 1942, Page 5

DIFFICULTIES OF TERRAIN

Owen Stanley Ranges SUPPLY PROBLEMS VITAL FACTOR Retreat of Japanese Forces Sydney, Oct. 8 “The incredibly difficult Owen Stanley range mountains present almost insuperable complications in the maintenance of supply lines to troop units of any size,” declares the latest communique from General MacArthur’s headquarters. “The enemy, as we expected, has discovered that his supply problems, aggravated by our constant air attacks, were impossible of immediate solution. His dislodgmenl at his farthest point of advance and the pursuit of his exhausted forces have been accomplished with practically no loss to our troops up to the present time. The same difficulties of terrain are now progressively slowing down the advance of our ground troops.” This is the full statement of to-day’s South-West Pacific head quarters communique. There has been no offensive activity by the opposing air forces.

Allied planes made reconnaissance flights on Wednesday, but targets so plentiful during the Japanese advance and subsequent retreat across the ranges appear to have become scarce. For thirty days our air forces have maintained an unbroken offensive against the enemy’s north Papuan base of Buna and his supply line over the ranges. Headquarters spokesman said to day that the Australian advance was con tinuing but progress was warily slow. The possibility of a Japanese trap for too venturesome attackers is not being overlooked. Some observers suggest there are still at least small parties of enemy troops in the area of the Gap. but this is not officially confirmed. ENEMY SHORT OF FOOD Native carriers who have deserted from the Japanese say enemy troops were in sorry plight after weeks in the ranges. They were short of food and supplies, and were suffering a high incidence from tropical diseases. While it is generally conceded that difficulties in the terrain have been the greatest factor in forcing a Japanese retirement, the New Guinea correspondent of the New York “Times,” Byron Darnton, pays tribute to the Australian troops, who have “obliterated the myth of Japanese invincibility in mountain and jungle.” But he points out that the enemy withdrew in good order and took with them a large amount of their equipment. Talk of the so-called “mystery” surrounding the whereabouts of the Japanese forces is no doubt prompted mainly by the reticence of General MacArthur’s headquarters to release prematurely information which may have been gathered from aerial and ground patrol activities. The only certainty at the present juncture of the campaign is that the Australian forces are wisely bent on establishing forward positions and securing their supply line before moving further forward and that they will not be lured into a helter-skelter chase after an unpredictable enemy.— P.A. special Australian correspondent.