ACTIVITY AT KOKODA

Southland Times, Issue 24839, 3 September 1942, Page 5

ACTIVITY AT KOKODA

JAPANESE MAKE ADVANCE (Special Australian Correspondent, N.Z.P.A.) (Rec. 11.30 p.m.) SYDNEY, Sept. 2. Increased enemy activity in the Kokoda sector of Papua may mean that the Japanese, having failed in Milne Bay, intend to try forcing their way to Port Moresby across the difficult Owen Stanley Mountains. Such efforts would probably be supported by a simultaneous move on Port Moresby from another direction. Persistent infiltration in the direction of the mountains is occurring and the enemy are now in high country beyond Kokoda. Fighting on an increased scale is reported about 2000 feet above sea level. Today’s communique from General Douglas MacArthur’s headquarters says —“Our ground forces are closely- engaged in jungle fighting against enemy thrusts of increasing strength.” BAYONET CLASHES War correspondents report that bayonet clashes have occurred between opposing patrols. Although the tempo of the action is rising the fighting up-to-date cannot be described as heavy. The enemy has barely begun to tackle the hardest portion of his task in this sector. In the meantime the Japanese moves are handicapped by adverse weather and the flooding of the rivers at vital points. The main enemy thrusts during the past few days are said to have been directed against some steep slopes leading to the pass through the ranges. Allied fighter aircraft have closely supported our ground defences. On Tuesday two strong strafing attacks were made against advanced enemy positions and on their lines of communication along which supplies are being moved from Buna to Kokoda. It is understood the attacks were made by Airacobras, which stormed along the valleys in the foothills of the range. Japanese aircraft have not yet attempted to support their troops in this sector. “Scattered jungle fighting of the guerrilla type continues at Milne Bay,” says today’s communique, referring to the continued mopping-up operations by Australian troops. Increased numbers of dead Japanese are being found by advancing Australians. The casualties caused by the Allied fighter sweeps were evidently high. Whatever the reason for the Japanese withdrawal at Milne Bay, it was certainly a hurried operation. Religious considerations, as well as fear that the enemy intelligence might discover valuable information from note-books and equipment, ordinarily impel the Japanese to gather up their dead before retiring. On this occasion even some wounded were left behind.

HEAVY JAPANESE CASUALTIES MILNE BAY FIGHTING SYDNEY, September 2. No estimate of the Japanese casualties at Milne Bay is yet possible, but there is growing evidence that substantial losses were inflicted on the enemy. Australia militiamen, stationed at the beach defences, ambushed one newly-landed detachment and killed more than 200 men. Hundreds of thousands of rounds of ammunition were expended by Australian fighter pilots attacking enemy personnel. They are known to have caused heavy casualties. One airman has told how he killed a group of 50 Japanese who were having a meal in a jungle clearing. The number of bodies being found by Australian troops engaged in mop-ping-up operations testify to the hurried manner of the Japanese evacuation. Among the equipment left behind by the enemy were flame-throw-ers, which the enemy have introduced for the first time in the Pacific war. There is no evidence that flame-throw-ers were used at Milne Bay, but it is thought they may have been carried as an experiment in terrorizing tactics. Observers here are increasingly mystified by the enemy withdrawal. “There is no blinking the fact that the Japanese evacuation of Milne Bay came as a complete surprise,” The Sydney Morning Herald war correspondent states. “It is difficult to understand why, holding temporary control of the sea lanes leading to Milne Bay, the Japanese did not attempt to reinforce rather than take off their troops.” The Sydney Morning Herald military correspondent gives a warning that the Japanese threat to Port Moresby remains and that the revival of aggressive enemy action at the Lae, Salamaua and Kokoda sectors must be correlated with Japanese plans to converge on Port Moresby from other directions. Sea control is the key to the situation. “The position at sea must be resolved decisively in our favour before there can be any strategical safety in the SouthWest Pacific,” he says. “Successes in New Guinea and the Solomons have strengthened the Allied position.”