RABAUL FORCES

Wairarapa Times-Age, 27 January 1942, Page 3

RABAUL FORCES

SPECIALLY TRAINED BUSHMEN FROM AUSTRALIA ADEPTS IN GUERILLA WARFARE. TEN THOUSAND JAPANESE TROOPS. (By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright) MELBOURNE, January 26. The Australian troops fighting the invaders at Rabaul are mainly Victorian bushmen, members of the Militia. Since Rabaul township was evacuated they have been holding out in the hills behind Rabaul. Mr Forde said today after the meeting of the War Cabinet that no messages have been received from the officer commanding, but something is expected later. Drawn from country districts and trained specially for jungle warfare in Australia and New Guinea, these men are ideally suited for the guerilla fighting which is used to combat the Japanese. It is officially estimated that the Japanese troops in New Guinea number at least 10,000. The communique of Mr Drakeford, the Minister of Air, says: “Last night our aircraft attacked enemy naval units at Rabaul. Bombs were dropped, and some hits observed in the target area. One of our aircraft has not returned.” The War Cabinet sat all day yesterday and today. In addition to the Army and Air Force communiques it was officially stated that nothing had been heard from Bulolo since the radio ceased on January 23. There has been no news from Lae since Port Moresby advised the evacuation of that town. Members of the War Cabinet are standing by.