BORNEO BATTLE

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 89, Issue 168, 18 July 1945, Page 5

BORNEO BATTLE

AUSTRALIANS KEEP UP STEAD YJ*RO GRESS ENEMY POCKETS PROBED Recd. 6 p.m. Rugby, July 16. News of the latest operations of the Australian mven in an official Australian Ari*/ statement, which says: “In Balik Papan Ihe advance north along the coast road from Manggar is continuing without incident, and forward elements of the 7th Division have passed through Bangsai. Mines have been encountered along the road, but all bridges crossed are so far reported to be in good order. Directly north of Manggar airstrip, our patrols are probing remaining enemy pockets. On Thursday night there was some enemy infiltraton of our line, but we did not suffer anv casualties.

“There is no great change in the Batochampar sector, where our forward troops are disposed across the Samarinda road, but contact with the enemy is being maintained. The Japanese here are well dug in and are equipped with automatic weapons and mortars. A waterborne patrol eight miles north-west of Teloktebang found what is believed to be an old enemy seaplane base, with smashed aircraft in Ihe area. “In the Labuan-Brunei area, our forward troops have now occupied Papar village. They easily overcame slight opposition and a coastal patrol reached the mouth of the Papar River without opposition. At the furthermost south-west point of our exploitation in the Miri sector, north-west Borneo, light contact with an enemy force was made thre n and a-half miles southeast of Miri. This force has been engaged by artillery.

“Japanese activity has again been evident on Labuan Island.”—B.O.W.