OWEN STANLEY RANGES

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume 77, 16 October 1942, Page 5

OWEN STANLEY RANGES

I \mv MAKING A ST AN l» INITIATIVE WITH AUSTRALIANS Sydney, Oct. 15. Tierce lighting is taking place ill the Owen Stanley Ranges. To-day’s coin in unique from General I\!acArthur’s headquarters reports that Australian forces are still in the area of Templeton's Crossing, about 13 miles from the enemy’s forward base at Kokoda and 70 miles from Buna, their supply base on the coast of northern Papua. It appears that the enemy have prepared positions in depth, and that they intend to make a stand in the heights of the ranges. But there is every indication that the Australians are making determined efforts to oust the Japanese from these posts in the heavy jungle. The enemy vacated their forward positions in this area on Tuesday. As Australian pressure has increased the Japanese seem to have repeated their Milne Bay defensive strategy of withdrawing to fresh positions becoming progressively stronger as they have retreated. Allied headquarters spokesmen said to-day: “Our flanking patrols have bec n •idive and successful,” but there was no elaboration of that statement. It appears, however, that the initiative lies strongly with the Australians. The Japanese are stated to be using mortars, but no artillery has yet been employed by either side. ENEMY BASES BOlUBEl) On Wednesday Allied aircraft, including North American attack bombers, raided Japanese north Papuan bases, Buna, and Lae, but both raids were primarily for reconnaissance purposes. Light anti-aircraft Are was encountered at Lae. Our planes also bombed unstated objectives in the Wairopi area. HEARTBREAKING DAYS A word picture indicative of the rigours of the present fighting in the New Guinea jungle is given by Lewis Sebring. New York “Herald-Tribune” correspondent. of the dramatic arrival of 33 Australian soldiers at an advanced camp after 44 harrowing and heartbreaking days in the Owen Stanley jungles. “The Australians,” he says, "were remnants of a party of 50 who met the Japanese on the north side or the range late in August. Outflanked and outnumbered they painfully traversed secret native trails to the south side, ultimately reaching a river, where they boarded native rafts for an eight-hour trip to a camp where I watched them land. Sunken eyes looked at us from bearded f faces as Australians in tattered uniforms paintuliy shifted from sitting positions rising to reach for outstretched hands. They seemed dazed as they stepped onto the bridge and wearily climbed the bank, clutching at personal odds and ends of equipment. The crowd parted as the Aussies crunched up the gravel. Men who had not .vet been in !he fight looked in awe at those who had. Two ambulances received half a dozen wounded who had walked through the jungle with the rest. One limped from a piece of Japanese shrapnel in his back and others had bandaged legs and arms. A colonel watching every move of these men commented that despite the condition in which they arrived they carried all their firearms. ammunition and equipment. That is a great tribute to the leadership and discipline of these troops.”— P.A. Special Australian Correspondent.