JAPANESE LOSE MORE GROUND

Dominion, Volume 37, Issue 5, 1 October 1943, Page 5

JAPANESE LOSE MORE GROUND

Battle For Finschhafen (Received September 30. 11 p.m.) SYDNEY, September 30. In the battle for Finschhafen, Australian forces have captured further Japanese positions round the Bunn River. Some of our forward elements ar? between 600 and 700 yards from I’tnsenhafen anchorage. . The Allied force advancing on It nischhafen from Lae has readied Mange Point; on the llnon Gulf, about IL iniles from Finschhafen. So far, they have advanced about 30 miles iu a little more than a week through some of tin- most difficult country in New Guinea. Liberators continued, attacks on J- n ‘ eniy communications in th? Bogacljini area, south of Madang, the enemy case on the north-east coast of New Guinea. Thev dropped 24 tons of 10001 b. bombs on the Yaula road, causing an extensive landslide obstruction in the narrow winding sector south of Daumoinn. Admiral Halsey’s bombers, with fjrong fiditer escorts, heavily attacked Kahlil aerodrome and gun positions in the vicinity of Bougainville Island, in the central Solomons. Direct hits were scored in Hie supply and bivouac areas and mi gun positions, and many tires were started. A force of 30 Japanese fighters challenged the raiders and two were shot down for tlie loss of one Allied fighter. Off Bilka Island, north of Bougainville. Allied aircraft on reconnaissance shot down two and probably destroyed, a third of eight Zeros covering enemy slnpP "l7i Vella Lavella Gulf naval surface units sank three enemy bargee attempting to run tlio blockade at night.