World Press Praises Grim Australian Fighters

Manawatu Times, Volume 67, Issue 209, 2 September 1942, Page 5

World Press Praises Grim Australian Fighters

HEAVY DAMAGE TO JAP AIRFIELDS (By Telegraph—Press Assn.—Copyright.) (Special Australian Correspondent.) Received Tuesday, 11.50 p.m. SYDNEY, Sept. 1. Fighting at Milne Bay continues as the victorious Australian troops mop up the scattered remnants of the enemy. The latest report from General iviacMrthur s Heauquarters indicate that the struggle is no longer on a grand scale and tne clashes involve oniy small groups of Japanese. Because of the dense jungie country in which the abandoned Japan* cse are hiding, some time may elapse before the last of them are cleaned out. The enemy troops landed at Milne Bay are believed to have been crack assault marines of the Imperial Navy. Although eye-witnesses’ accounts do not suggest any major battle during the brief cam* paign there were several spirited local engagements. The battleground extended from the foothills of Mount Thompson to the edge of Milne Bay. The final enemy offensive spasm occurred on Monday when several enemy fighters made a weak attack near the Allied airfield in the Milne Bay area. No damage resulted. World newspapers pay tribute to the Australians for their victory over the Japanese. They emphasise that, following the heavy blow struok by United States Marines in the Solomons Japan has lost face twice in a short period. Government sources at Washington praise “the grim Australian legions whose courage and tenacity in beating back the Japanese Mirne Bay invaders are an inspiration." The London Evening Standard says; “The Southwest Pacific has again proved its claim to aid not only by reason of its geographical position but also by the great performances of its fighting men." There is a general belief that the Japanese will strike again and that further hard fighting in New Guinea is inevitable. Indeed, fierce clashes are now taking place in the mountainous Jungle country around Kokoda where the Japanese appear to have flung fresh troops into action. Our fighter planes are co-operat-ing with the Australian ground forces in this area by staflnft the enemy positions. Allied bombers are maintaing their hammering of the Japanese bases, the latest heavy raid being on the aerodrome at Lae where ten tons of bombs were dropped among grounded aircraft, buildings and installations. Five fuel dumps and several buildings were blown up and many grounded planes destroyed. The fires started in the raid, which caught the enemy by surprise, could be seen thirty miles away. No interception was attempted by the Japanese. It is thought that they were working to repair the planes previously damaged on the aerodrome when our bombers struck. At Guna our heavy bombers attacked an enemy camp starting fires and silencing an anti-aircraft position. Australia’s natural elation at the victory at Miilne Bay is well expressed by the Sydney Sun which says: “Not in this area alone will its effects add strengthto the arms of the United Nations. The victory of our Jungie fighters will surely reverberate througnout China and India and its tonic effect will hearten and inspire every country which had reason to fear Japanese domination of the Pacific. But make no mistake—there will be greater more critical battles that Milne and they must be won. Rabaul is the key to the situation and until the enemy is hurled from that base the South-west Pacific cannot feel secure.”