ADVANCE ON LAE

New Zealand Herald, Volume 80, Issue 24690, 16 September 1943, Page 6

ADVANCE ON LAE

AUSTRALIAN SUCCESS MILE FROM AERODROME WRECKAGE AT SALAMATJA ENEMY FLEE TO JUNGLE By Telegraph—Press Association —Copyright (Becd. 10.20 p.m.) SYDNEY, Sept. 15 Australian troops advancing on Lae from the east have destroyed two Japanese strongpoints. They are now within a mile of Malahang aerodrome, an important enemy sfcrongpoint, about three miles from their base. A duel is being fought between Australian and Japanese aTtillery. Allied forces pushing along the Markham Valley road threw the Japanese from two prepared positions near Whittakers. Co-operating with the ground forces, medium bombers attacked enemy installations along the south bank of the Markham River. A raid by 12 Japanese bombers on Allied installations near Burep River caused minor damage and casualties. Facing Annihilation In the Salamaua area small scattered groups of Japanese are fleeing in the hills and jungle many miles northwest of Salamaua itself and their eventual annihilation is certain. An earlier report stated that the

Japanese in the Lae area show reluctance to engage in any large-scale operation. An Allied patrol in Heath's plantation, in the Markham Valley, killed eight Japanese and wounded 11. others in a brief clash. Conditions in the Markham Valley ghow a marked contrast to those in the drives against Buna and Gona six months ago. Then fever-worn troops faced strongly-entrenched enemy units with only the arms they carried. Now, airborne troops, operating _ over flat country, and confident in their weapons and supplies, are seeking out the enemy.

Few Prisoners The Australian troops who occupied /Salamaua found the whole area a shambles as the result of the heavy "bombing and shelling. The isthmus and the peninsula were pitted with huge craters from thousands of tons of bombs dropped there in the past month. Japanese gun crews were entombed in these • craters, in fox-holes and in uprooted pillboxes. , No official estimate has yet been made of the Japanese casualties in the battle for Salamaua, but the number of prisoners is believed to be very small. Survivors of the garrison retreating along the coast toward Lae are being given < no chance to dig in so that they can fight delaying rearguard actions. The Japanese probably hope to reach Schneider Point, a barge-landing stage along the route to Lae, but it is unlikely that they will be able to muster i sufficient barges and air cover to make an escape.