STILL ADVANCING

Evening Star, Issue 24330, 20 October 1942, Page 3

STILL ADVANCING

AUSTRALIANS IN NEW GUINEA JAP COUNTER-ATTACK REPULSED % (N.Z.P.A. Special Aust. Correspondent) SYDNEY,. October 19. The Japanese are hanging tenaciously to their positions in the heights of the Owen Stanley Range, but. the Allied troops are continuing their advance. Fighting moved to the 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. Last night the Japanese made a series of counter-attacks —their first since the fall of lorabaiwa on October 1. They were repulsed with heavy casualties.

The Allied troops have captured mortars, light machine guns, and other equipment. The extent of our losses has not been reported. The Japanese defences haV'c been revealed to be in considerable depth. Posts were found in all stages of the latest Allied twomile advance, the enemy being blasted out by flanking patrols and mortar fire. Supporting our ground troops, Allied aircraft strafed the Wairopa area. The Allied air activity has also included raids on Manus Island, in the Admiralty group, on ’Fileolo, 70 miles off the coast of New Britain, and on Mubo, which is inland from Salamaua. ■ An enemy-occupied • village on Tileolo Island was set on fire. At Mubo the attack caused fires and casualties among Japanese troops.

STILL RESISTING NETHERLANDS EAST INDIES (N.Z.P.A. Special Aust. Correspondent) SYDNEY, October 19. After nine mouths’ resistance to the Japanese in Borneo, 69 Dutch officers and men have surrendered. The capture of this party has been previously claimed seven times by Tokio, but it was only when the Dutchmen’s ammunition was exhausted that they'finally abandoned the fight. Although the Japanese announced that Dutch' resistance had completely ceased throughout the Netherlands East’ Indies, reports reaching Dutch headquarters in Australia still tell of battle-wounded Japanese soldiers being admitted to Batavia hospitals.

ITALIAN REPRESSION IN GREECE

ISTANBUL, October 18. Italian Carabinieri turned machine guns on transport strikers demonstrating in Athens. A large number were killed or wounded. Twelve suspected ringleaders were taken into custody. » The Italians also seized 100 hostages and sent them to a concentration camp as a reprisal for the wounding of two soldiers during the disorder.