NEW GAINS

Timaru Herald, Volume CLIV, Issue 22670, 25 August 1943, Page 5

NEW GAINS

SALAMAUA AREA Mopping Up Of Enemy Stragglers N.Z.P.A.—Special Australian Correspondent (10.40 p.m.) SYDNEY, August 24. Allied land forces have made important new gains in the struggle for Salamaua, the Japanese advance base in New Guinea. Australian troops have crossed the Francisco River at the western approaches to the airfield, while others arc engaged in mopping up enemy stragglers around Komiatum. The capture of Komiatum. announced on Sunday, cut the enemy's main supply route and threatened the Japanese garrison with encirclement and annihilation. Our advance across the Francisco River tightens this encircling movement, though heavy country still lies between the Australians and the airfield. A second Australian force is engaging the enemy in six defensive positions further south along the river bank, while fresh isolated encounters between other Australian and Japanese forces also fit into the general pattern of the Allied drive for Salamaua.

The air-strip against which the Allied advance is mainly directed lies about a mile south of Salamaua township and close to the Francisco River. American troops, which landed at. Nassau Bay, eight miles south of Salamaua, and later linked with the Australians moving up the coast, are now within four miles of the air-strip. Allied naval units have joined in increasing pressure against Salamaua. Light warships last night struck at the enemy’s rear supply zone at Finschhafen. In this sweep Allied warships operating for the first time in the area bombarded enemy ships, dock installations and supply dumps. No return fire was recorded. Tlie Allied land forces are also receiving close air support. Apart from direct attacks on the enemy’s defences, our planes are continually patrolling the shores of Huon Peninsula to prevent the enemy getting reinforcements or supplies to Salamaua by sea. Yesterday our aircraft attacked Finschhafen, Marwasa, Rooke Island and Salamaua areas. Enemy Morale Dropping War correspondents with the forward troops say there are signs that Japanese morale is dropping under the ceaseless pounding from Australian and American artillery, but it is thought they will make a stubborn last ditch stand for Salamaua. Every enemy withdrawal has left the Allies in possession of new points that will be extremely valuable in the final assault. The last Japanese chance of retrieving the position at Salamaua was smashed a week ago when Allied planes destroyed a large enemy air armada on the ground at Wewak. In five days Allied bombers and fighters destroyed at least 306 Japanese planes, probably destroyed 11 and damaged three. The Allies'lost only seven planes in these attacks. General MacArthur’s bombers yesterday made widespread strikes to the North of Australia. Continuing their long-range raids on Netherlands Indies keypoints, Liberators successfully attacked the aerodtome and town areas at Kandari in the Celebes, an important aircraft assembly base. A flight of nearly 2000 miles was involved. . No changes are reported in the ground situation in the Solomons, where Allied light naval units are continuing attacks against Japanese barge hideouts. , xl _ , The Tokio radio announced that Japanese naval and air units on August 21 raided enemy air bases near Brook’s Creek in North-western Australia. Runways and anti-aircraft positions were blasted at bases used for Allied long-range on Japanese-occupied areas.