GAINS MADE BY ALLIES

Southland Times, Issue 24860, 28 September 1942, Page 5

GAINS MADE BY ALLIES

SLIGHT ADVANCE IN NEW GUINEA (Special Australian Correspondent, N.Z.P.A.) (Rec. 8.30 p.m.) SYDNEY, Sept. 27. In the South-west Pacific war the two days’ actions have established a satisfactory credit of Allied successes. Japanese forward troops have been forced to withdraw from some of their advanced positions in the Owen Stanley Ranges. Although the slight Australian advance is regarded as significant as a knoll of some strategic importance was occupied in Friday’s drive, no change has occurred in the general location of the fighting, which is still in lorabaiwa. A •further land success in another Itfew Guinea sector has been scored in the Bulolo Valley, where Australian troops counter-attacked vigorously against the Japanese moving inland from Salamaua, winning back their position south of Mubo village, about 12 miles from the coast. Allied heavy bombers did considerable damage to Japanese shipping at Rabaul. On Friday a direct hit was scored on a medium cargo vessel. On Saturday a 10001 b bomb struck another transport amidships. Three possible hits were scored against a third vessel. Another ■ Japanese transport was sunk when it was attacked by our bombers on Saturday off Trobriand Island. A direct hit was scored and fires broke out, gutting the vessel. ATTACK BY AUSTRALIANS Before our most important land success on the Owen Stanley front Australian patrols on Thursday night found the Japanese dug in nqar lorabaiwa. At dawn on Friday, supported by 25-pounder artillery, strong Australian forces moved to the attack. Blinding rain and heavy mist hid their advance, restricting visibility to a few yards. During the past few days the rains have turned the jungle mud into a quagmire. Our troops forced their way forward through mud sometimes almost knee deep. These rains herald the approach of the wet season, which reaches its height in November. Aus-tralian-made 25-pounder guns “softened” the Japanese positions for our infantrymen. These guns are heavier than any used by the Japanese in this sector. The enemy 75-millimetre gun fires a shell weighing between 15 and 181 b. The Australian guns had to be dragged up the mountain ridges from Port Moresby, while those of the Japanese were carried in sections over the longer trail from Kokoda. _ Our 25pounders are not guns which can be taken to pieces for porterage convenience. This check to the enemy drive has undoubtedly been assisted by the continual pressure of Allied air attacks on the Japanese supply line from Buna through Kokoda and across the ranges.. However, there is no let up in the enemy’s attempt to get supplies to his forward troops. A long section of corduroy road has been laid across the swampy country south of Kokoda and the treacherous jungle track is being widened. BRIDGE PARTLY DEMOLISHED The bridge across the Kumusi river at Wairopi, a vital point on the enemy supply line, remains a favourite target of our bombers and fighters. Kittyhawks especially equipped _to carry four bombs partially demolished the bridge again on Friday. The enemy base at Buna was raided both on Friday and Saturday. For 11 days there has been no let-up in these attacks. On Friday more than 10 tons of bombs were dropped on the aerodrome. The troops in the Salamaua area who were forced to give ground before the weight of the initial Japanese thrust at Mubo regrouped, attacked and drove back the enemy. _ These troops are regarded as Australia’s best jungle fighters. They are operating as independently as those on Timor and have lived in the deep forest for many months, using every trick of bushcraft to waylay and kill Japanese patrols. They have been conspicuously successful- , . . The Heavy Allied air attacks against enemy shipping at Rabaul and off Trobriand Island, north-east of _ New Guinea, were merely part of the air activity which has flared up over a wide area of the South-West Pacific theatre. Increasing activitiy has been shown by the Japanese Air Force, both in raids and interception. Ineffectual raids were made on Darwin by small forces of enemy planes on Friday and Saturday nights. A . V, When a Royal Australian Air Force Lockheed-Hudson was hunting a Japanese ship off 'Dilli (Timor) it was intercepted by four Zeros. Two enemy fighters were shot down. BATTLE FOR KINHWA Chinese Try To Cut Railway (8.0.W.) RUGBY, September 26. Chinese sources in London say there have been no changes of importance m the battle for Kinhwa during the past week. . The most significant development is indicated by renewed .reports of fighting round Tungyang, some 30 miles north-east of Kinhwa, and so placed as to threaten the garrison’s supply line along the Chekiang-Kiangsi railway. This activity appears to be an intensification of the Chinese attempts to cut the railway in this section, which was reported two weeks ago. . Two Chinese columns are involved in. the drive, one west of the railway, which has been met by stubborn resistance in the Pukiang area after successfully pressing well behind the Japanese Kinhwa positions and the other fighting for possession of Tungyang. . East of the railway the Chinese forces which are directly besieging the Japanese fortified positions at Kinhwa and Lanchi appear temporarily to have halted on a line running roughly from the south bank of the Lan river across the railway at Kugang, six miles south-west of Kinhwa.