SHARPLY DEFEATED

Wairarapa Times-Age, 6 January 1944, Page 3

SHARPLY DEFEATED

ENEMY COUNTER-ATTACK AT CAPE GLOUCESTER RAPID AUSTRALIAN PROGRESS IN NEW GUINEA. AMERICAN BEACH-HEAD-ENLARGED. (Special Australian Correspondent.) SYDNEY, January 5. Land fighting again flared Tip at Cape Gloucester, Western New Britain, on Monday. The Japanese attacked the American beach-head- near SiJimati Point, but were decisively repulsed, leaving 200 dead on the battlefield. This brings the counted total of enemy killed at Cape Gloucester to 1500, and the real total is believed to be much greater. Western New Britain is the only sector of the South-West Pacific front in which the Japanese are at present offering measurable resistance to the Allied ground forces. The Americans who landed at Saidor, in northern New Guinea, on Sunday, have now enlarged their beach-head to an area of about 10 square miles, and patrols are being pushed out in an endeavour to make contact with the enemy.

A spectacular advance has been made by the Australian troops driving north along the coast of the Huon Peninsula. They have progressed 10 miles in the past two days, and they have now advanced 27 miles from Masaweng since December 12. Their advance, had proceeded on only eight days, the remainder of the time being employed for resting and consolidating.. They are now approaching the Cape King William area, about 80 air miles from Saidor. The Japanese are offering only token opposition. The main duty of their rearguard appears to be observation of the Australian advance. In the Ramu Valley good roads capable of carrying heavy traffic have been built, replacing the native tracks which once wound their way through the kunai grass. This transformation has taken place since the Australians entered the valley early in September. The use of these roads will ease the Australians’ supply problem and enable stronger pressure to be exerted against the Japanese forces occupying positions in the Finisterre Ranges.

' ELEVEN ZEROS SHOT DOWN NEAR RABAUL,, THREE OTHERS PROBABLY DESTROYED. (By Telegraph—Pres? Association —Copyright} SYDNEY, January 5. Rabaul, the main Japanese base in the South-West Pacific, has again been the target for an aerial sweep by Allied Solomons-based fighters. Of 30 Zeros which intercepted them T: were shot down, with three probably destroyed. The Allied losses are officially described as light. General MacArthur’s communique today also reports the destruction by air attack of an enemy schooner, lighter, and two barges off the south coast of New Britain. Madang, the important Japanese base in New Guinea, which is the target for the present Allied land drives, has again been bombed. Our fighters destroyed bridges ch the Japanese supply road between Madang and Bogadj im. This road links with trails running into the Ramu Valley.