LARGE ISLAND OCCUPIED

Dominion, Volume 35, Issue 261, 3 August 1942, Page 5

LARGE ISLAND OCCUPIED

Jap Infiltration SOUTH-WEST PACIFIC SITUATION (By Telegraph.—Press Assn.—Copyright.) (Special Australian Correspondent.)' SYDNEY, August 2. Japanese have occupied another island in the Solomons Group. The latest communiques from General MacArthur’s headquarters indicate that the enemy is now in possession of Guadalcanal a large island south of Ttilagi and 1000 miles from Townsville. This revelation of new Japanese infiltration closes the most strenuous week of land and air, fighting in the south-west Pacific war. A general headquarters spokesman states that the Japanese appear to be constructing several aerodromes on Guadalcanal which is one of the few islands in the Solomons lending itself to the construction of airfields. These enemy works near Kukum on the north coast were attacked by our bombers on both Friday and Saturday. In Friday’s raid direct hits were scored on a supply dump and on a large cargo ship off the shore. On Saturday, fires were started when enemy installations were bombed. Japanese activities on Guadalcanar are stated to have first become evident about six weeks ago, but since then enemy troop reinforcements h’ave reached the island. They are known to include labour units and aerodrome ground crews with a protecting force. Day and Night Battle. The Papuan land and air battle for mastery in the Kokoda-Gona area continues day and night. Bombing raids have been made on the enemy base at Gona. Our fighters on Saturday attacked enemy jositions at Kokoda where advanced elements of opposing land forces are still in contact. The situation here is reported to be static. The wharf and harbour at Kai Islands, in the Banda Sea, have been attacked by our bombers, one of which is missing. An Allied reconnaissance unit over Rabaul, New Britain, shot down an intercepting enemy fighter. The Japanese have made ineffectual single plane raids on Horn Island in the Torres Straits and Port Moresby. Allied aircraft on Friday and Saturday attacked a single enemy cruiser in the Banda Sea, south of Amboina , Island. On Friday a probable hit was scored. Our bombers on Saturday bombed and machinegunned a cruiser in the same area. Bad visibility made it impossible to determine the extent of . the damage caused. These attacks are reported in separate communiques and it is not revealed whether the same enemy cruiser or two different cruisers were attacked.