DEEP DEFENCE IN RANGES

Dominion, Volume 36, Issue 21, 20 October 1942, Page 5

DEEP DEFENCE IN RANGES

Tenacious Japanese COUNTER-ATTACKS REPULSED (By Telegraph.—Press Assn. —Copyright.)(Special Australian Correspondent.) (Received October 19, 11.45 p.m.) SYDNEY, October 19. The Japanese are hanging tenaciously to positions in the heights of the Owen Stanley* Ranges, but Allied troops are continuing their advance. Fighting lias moved north of Templeton’s Crossing and is now near Eora Creek, a village only 10 miles (less than eight hours’ march) from the key village of Kokoda, at the northern foothills of the ranges. On Sunday night, the Japanese made a series of counter-attacks —their first since the fall of loribaiwa on October 1. They were repulsed with heavy casualties. Allied troops have captured mortars, light machineguns and other equipment. The extent of our losses has not been reported. The Japanese defences have been revealed to be in considerable depth. Their posts were found in all stages of the latest Aided two-mile advance, the enemy being blasted out by Hanking patrols and mortar fire. Supporting our ground troops, Allied aircraft strafed the Wairopi area. Allied air activity has also included raids on Manus Island in the Admiralty group, on Tileolo, 70 miles off the coast of New Britain and on Mubo, inland from Salaniaua. A dock and an enemy-occupied village on Tileolo Island were set on fire. At Mubo the attack caused fires and troop casualties.