DRIVING ON

Waikato Times, Volume 193, Issue 22202, 23 November 1943, Page 3

DRIVING ON

ADVANCE OF AUSTRALIANS

STEADY PROGRESS MADE AMERICAN SUCCESSES (Received Nov. 23, 11.30 a.m.) SYDNEY, Nov. 23 The Australian troops driving on Satelberg in New Guinea continue to make steady progress against stiff opposition. In all sectors the Japanese hold thoroughly prepared defensive positions, in which they have made full tactical use of the terrain. The Australians have had to withstand two full-scale enemy counterattacks in the past 24 hours, but these sorties are reported to have been expensive for the Japanese. In the Northern Solomons the American patrols at Empress Augusta Bay, Bougainville Island, are maintaining contact with the Japanese. Major-General Roy Geiger, Commander of the United States Forces on Bougainville, told war correspondents in the area that the Japanese were not making the same “do or die” resistance as had characterised their defence at Guadalcanar. The close air and artillery support given to the American infantry had been remarkable. Planes had laid bombs within 150 yards of our advancing troops, while the artillery had put down a barrage only 50 yards ahead of our positions. Allied Air Superiority

As yet there had been no evidence of Japanese overland troop movements towards Empress Augusta Bay from Buin and Kahili, said Major-General Geiger, and it is improbable that the bad tracks will permit traffic in heavy reinforcements. Enemy barges, however, may move along the coast at night, although large-scale movement is seriously hampered by our air superiority. War correspondents say that American Seabees have again accomplished wonders in stevedoring and building roads. Among the heroes of the campaign are dogs, which arrived with the first landing troops and have been on patrol work ever since. The dogs are used as messengers, scouts and sentries. The Allied Headquarters in North Africa states: A large number of Canadians are included in the troops who have recently arrived in Italy. On Friday night British destroyers operating off San Benedetto, on Iht east coast of Italy, 50 miles south oi Ancona, met and engaged an enemy convoy of small craft. One oi the craft was sunk, another believed sunk, and a tug damaged. The enemy coastal batteries opened fire and inflicted superficial damage on British ships. In air operations one enemy aircraft was destroyed. One of our planes is missing.