DRIVING ON IN RANGES

Dominion, Volume 36, Issue 17, 15 October 1942, Page 5

DRIVING ON IN RANGES

Australians Force Enemy Back

TOMMY-GUN DUELS (By Telegraph.—Press Assn. —Copyright.)

(Special Australian Correspondent.)

(Received October 14, 11.30 p.m.) SYDNEY', October 14.

Australian troops have penetrated Japanese positions astride the Owen Stanley trail south of Templeton's Crossing, just past the summit of the -ranges. They are still driving on. 6 The strength of the enemy forces in the area has not been announced.

Skirmishes in which tommygun. fire was exchanged occurred after opposing patrols had stalked eacli other on Monday. It was reported today that determined frontal and flank actions finally drove the Japanese from foxholes, trenches and machinegun posts and that the Australians are now approaching Templeton’s Crossing, which is on the edge of the northern slopes of the ranges at the junction of the alternative trulls through Kagi and Myola—both already in the hands of our forces. The latest report that the Australian advance is continuing encourages the belief that further good news from the New Guinea front may be expected. Most of the -war commentators believe that once Templeton’s Crossing is passed, the Japanese are unlikely to offer strong resistance till Kokoda is reached, at the foot of the ranges—a drop of 5000 feet down 12 miles of trail.

No estimate has been given of the number of casualties inflicted on the Japanese, but the Australian losses during the whole advance are stated to have been light. More men have been brought back to hospital suffering from tropical diseases than from, wounds. Grimly Determined. Commenting on the morale of the advancing Australian troops, the Sydney “Herald” war correspondent, writing from New Guinea, says: “I think these men went into the fray this time in precisely the appropriate frame of mind. They did not go along the track singing and happy and making flambuoyant statements about their anxiety to meet the Japanese. Nobody sings and nobody ca nbe thoroughly happy in the rain-sodden, stinking jungles of New Guinea, which are infested -with all those things which fly, creep or crawl and pester man fluring bis waking and sleeping hours.

“These fellow’s have gone back into the battle angry as the devil at the Japanese for having made them tramp twice through the Owen Stanley Ranges. They told me they would square tilings up

when they got into action. “Their thinking is right in tune with that-of a senior Australian officer plugging his way through to the front line. On his way he has addressed groups of soldiers wherever he met them. The usual tone of his remarks has been that “this time we are going to beat the little yellow and I promise you you will not. have to walk back over these mountains. You will come back from Buna, either by boat or aeroplane.” If the High Command strategy is in tune with the spirit of this senior officer's remarks, Australian advance will not cease till the Japanese are driven out of their north Papuan strongholds. A campaign so far from the Allied base at Port Moresby, however, would present grave difficulties. Evidence that the Japanese are still in some strength round Buna- is found -in today’s report from General MacArthur’s headquarters that American Havoc attack bombers with a fighter escort on Tuesday made a sweep over the Wairopi area and also strafed enemy barges on the beach. Heavy bombers made a night raid on the aerodrome at Buna, with unknown results.

1000-POUND BOMBS ON RABAUL

Enemy Planes Damaged (By Telegraph.—Press Assn.—Copyright.)

(Special Australian Correspondent.)

(Received October 14,11.45 p.m.) SYDNEY, October 14,

Rabaul, the important Japanese base for operations both in the Solomons and New Guinea, has again been heavily attacked by Flying Fortresses of General MacArthur’s command. Many tons of bombs, including 1000-pounders, were dropped in the latest night attack on two aerodromes there, causing large fires and explosions. These attacks were officially described earlier as designed to hamper operations by the enemy air force in the vital Solomons theatre of war. Direct hits were observed in _ the midst of parked aircraft, and considerable damage is believed to have neen caused.