FIGHTING AT MUBO

Southland Times, Issue 25690, 26 June 1943, Page 5

FIGHTING AT MUBO

HEAVYJAPANESE CASUALTIES SHARP SKIRMISHES (Special Australian Correspondent, N.Z.P.A.) (Rec. 10.45 p.m.) SYDNEY, June 25. Only desultory fighting is now occurring between the Japanese and Australian ground forces around Mubo. Four days of sharp skirmishing cost the’ enemy more than 200 men killed or wounded. The Australian casualties are described as “very light by comparison.” The Australians have moved up artillery and both sides have been using mortars. A new point in the Mubo battle area, Woody Island, figures in the latest reports of the fighting. This is an “island”

in the centre of a dry creek bed just ■ north of Mubo village. While the land forces were engaged ’ around Mubo, General Douglas Mac- > Arthur’s attack planes on Thursday hit ; hard against the Salamaua coastal terminal of the enemy’s forward supply line. With the exception of a Beaufighter raid on an enemy aerodrome on Selaru Island, in the Tenimbei- group, 300 miles north of Darwin, where two Japanese bombers were destroyed on the ground, this is the sole air activity reported in General MacArthur's latest communique. Broadcasting a description of the New Guinea fighting, Tokyo radio admitted that the Allies control the air in that sector. The broadcast gave an eye-witness account of the Japanese defeat by “damned American soldiers” in the Kumusi river area, in which the Yazawa Unit suffered -almost total loss. “Boeing planes pressed upon our soldiers and the savage, beastly Americans showered bombs,” said the eyewitness. “Enemy planes constantly raided our line. The noise of their motors made it seem as though the heavens were upside down.” JAPANESE SUBMARINES Sinkings Off American Coast WASHINGTON, June 25. At least nine Japanese submarines have been sunk off California and Oregon by Navy and Coast Guard surface and air forces since Pearl Harbour, according to The Los Angeles Times. Most of the sinkings occurred in the early weeks of the war, driving Japanese submarines from American water after six American freighters had | been attacked. U.S. AIR COMMANDER IN PHILIPPINES MacArthur’s Warm Defence (Special Australian Correspondent, N.Z.P.A.) (Rec. 11 p.m.) SYDNEY, June . 25. General Douglas MacArthur today warmly defended the commander of tire American air forces in the Philippines, Major-General Lewis H. Brereton, against charges of inefficiency during the campaign. His defence is believed to have been provoked by published criticisms in the United States. In his statement, which was issued without comment, General MacArthur, said criticisms implying faulty judgment or neglect in failing to take proper security measures, resulting in the destruction of the American Air Force on the ground, did a grave injustice to Major-General Brereton and his gal-I lant subordinates. The force under | Major-General Brereton’s command l comprised only 35 heavy bombers and I 72 fighters. This force was greatly I handicapped by having only one airfield, Clark Field, usable by heavy bombers, and only five by fighters. "Major-General Brereton’s tiny force was crushed by sheer’ weight of num- [ bers. Its combat crews fought vali- , antly, but were hopelessly outnum- ; bered,” said General MacArthur.

SPANISH PRETENDER.— Don Juan, the Pretender to the Spanish Throne, has agreed in principle with General Franco’s regime, says The Evening Standard’s Berne correspondent. The agreement was reached two months ago, since when negotiations on methods for the restoration of the monarchy have been carried out in cordial and friendly correspondence. (London).