DELAYED NOT HALTED

Southland Times, Issue 24877, 17 October 1942, Page 5

DELAYED NOT HALTED

Australian Drive In New Guinea (Special Australian Correspondent, N.Z.P.A.) (Rcc. 1 a.m.) SYDNEY, October 16. Australian troops in the Owen Stanley Range are maintaining pressure on the Japanese, but no reports have been received of a further' advance. However, the Australian drive is believed to have been delayed rather than halted by the enemy. Fighting in the ranges was less severe on Thursday, with only limited combat activity. War correspondents writing from New Guinea say that rapid gains cannot be expected in the present area of fighting where advances can only be made painfully yard by yard. Our ground troops were again supported by Havoc, North American and Airacobra aircraft, which bombed and strafed enemy positions in a sweep along the Japanese supply trail. Enemy installations at Salamua were also attacked. Australia’s Air Minister, Mr W. S. Drakeford, today described the Havocs, which have been much used in strafing operations along the Kokoda trail as “powerful and venomous aircraft.” They have a cruising speed of more than 240 miles an hour. Aileu, a Japanese-occupied village 10 miles south of Dilli in Timor, was heavily attached on Thursday afternoon by Hudson bombers. Before the war Aileu was a station for Portuguese soldiers and was the seat of the Provincial Government. Targets bombed were a row of rock houses, which the Japanese might be using as barracks. Considerable damage was done. SITUATION - IN NEW GUINEA Satisfaction Expressed CANBERRA, October 16. After a careful analysis of the reports of high service officers and Ministers the Australian War Council yesterday expressed satisfaction with the situation in New Guinea. Following the recent criticism of the Army in New Guinea the view of the War Council, thus expressed with a complete knowledge of the facts of the position, is regarded as specially impoi-tant. After the meeting the Prime Minister, Mr J. Curtin, stated that the situation was regarded as being the result of the splendid leadership and magnificent fighting in New Guinea. Considerable quantities of equipment had been captured and substantial casualties had been inflicted on the enemy. The Japanese had been compelled to abandon fixed positions which had been strongly prepared to resist attack.