SEE-SAW BATTLE

Wairarapa Times-Age, 18 September 1942, Page 3

SEE-SAW BATTLE

ON FOOTHILLS NORTH OF MORESBY FIGHTING ON SERIOUS SCALE. JAPANESE USING LIGHT GUNS & MORTARS. (By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright) LONDON, September 17. After six days of steadily mounting patrol activity, heavy fighting has broken out again in the Owen Stanley area in New Guinea, where the Japanese have now resumed their attack toward Port Moresby. Today’s communique from General MacArthur’s headquarters describes the present fighting as “serious,” with the Japanese pressing strongly against the Allied defences.

A spokesman at the headquarters said that the action is centred some miles to the north of lorabaiwa, which is 32 miles from Port Moresby. _ The Japanese are using light mountain artillery as well as mortars and automatic weapons, the spokesman said. He described the fighting as a see-saw battle so far, with first one side and then the other infiltrating.

The scene of the fighting is evidently in the foothills of the ranges, and near the fiat-country approaches to Port Moresby. The traffic road begins at Sogeri, the rubber plantation centre 25 miles from Port Moresby. The pre-viously-mentioned fighting area was near Ifogi, on September 11, 53 map miles from Port Moresby.

AT MILNE BAY EXPLOITS OF AUSTRALIAN SOLDIERS DEAD MEN FOUND RINGED BY ENEMY DEAD. HEROIC WORK DONE BY DOCTORS (Special Australian Correspondent.) SYDNEY, September 17. The savage n'ature of the fighting at Milne Bay is emphasised by the release of further stories from wounded Australian troops. ... One A I.F. man was found dead with more than 30 Japanese dead round him. Two of the Japanese had their heads smashed in with a tommy-gun, which the Australian had used as a club when his ammunition gave outA giant militia private named is reported to have killed 15 Japanes-

before receiving a bayonet wound in each leg and being wounded in the chest by a grenade. Afterward he walked to a dressing station for treatment. A . Round the bodies of 11 Australians were found 24 Japanese. Returning troops stress the heroism of the doctors, who operated on wounded soldiers hour after hour amid slushy mud and under shellfire One doctor worked for 36 hours without a break, finally collapsing beside the operating table. • „„ It' is now disclosed tnat American soldiers had their first battle in New Guinea with the Japanese at Milne Bay. These Americans were members of anti-aircraft and engineer units.