GUNS & SUPPLIES
MOVED UP BY JAPANESE PARTS OF MOUNTAIN TRAIL WIDENED. GALLANT DEEDS OF AUSTRALIAN TROOPS. (Special Australian Correspondent.) SYDNEY, September 22. The Japanese have widened parts of the trail across the Owen Stanley Ranges, and, though harassed by continual Allied air attacks, are steadily moving up supplies. As well as quick-firing mountain guns, they have also succeeded in bringing 75 millimetre artillery to their forward positions. Other weapons being used by the enemy include long-range .92 heavy machine-guns. While renewed pressure by the Japanese is expected, the latest communique from General MacArthur’s headquarters reports that no change has yet occurred in the land fighting. Great gallantry is being shown by Australian patrols who have made the enemy advance expensive. On Sunday, a small party ferreting out enemy gun positions discovered a mountain gun in charge of an officer and six men. Though they heard a large party of Japanese approaching, they attacked the gun-crew. The officer was killed and then'the patrol picked off the members of the crew. The Australians escaped into the jungle without loss. ■
A war correspondent says that courage similar to that shown by the Anzacs in storming the heights of Gallipoli is shown again and again in New Guinea. He reports that when a platoon of Australians attacked a strong-ly-held Japanese position, they were pinned down by withering fire from heavy machine-guns. Though many of his comrades were killed, one Digger refused to be stopped. Three times hit in the chest, he crawled along a steep slope until he was able to throw hand grenades into the machine-gun nests. Some of the enemy gunners were killed, and with a tommy-gun the Australian kept the remaining machine-guns silent while his battered platoon reformed for a successful attack.
Many other stories are told of offensive and defensive gallantry which cost the Japanese heavy casualties ' and saved the Australians many lives. One Bren-gunner whose position was overrun by the Japanese, refused to withdraw, and remained at his post till his ammunition was expended, delaying the main Japanese advance long enough ftr the Australians to form new defensit positions. The Allied aii- force continues to give close support to the ground troops. Further offensive sweeps have been made by fighters along the Buna-Ko-koda supply route. A headquarters spokesman said that six tons of bombs and 15,000 rounds of ammunition were used in Sunday’s aerial strafing. On Monday, the wire rope bridge over the Kurnusi River, below Kokoda, was destroyed. The bridge was previously destroyed by the Australian forces before they retired, but was restored by the enemy. After a long lull, the Japanese air force on Monday resumed its ineffectual offensive in New Guinea. They sent 27 heavy bombers with an escort of 10 Zeros to attack the area north-west of Port Moresby. Their bombs dropped harmlessly in scrub 32 miles from Port Moresby. No damage or casualties'resulted. The- nature of the enemy objective has not been stated. The last previous large scale enemy air attack on Port Moresby was on September 8, when 26 bombers, with fighter escort, made a raid which caused little damage. Medium bombers of General MacArthur’s command have made a further night raid on the enemy aerodrome at Buka, in the northern Solomons, but the results were not observed.
JAPANESE FLEET REPORTED WITHDRAWAL. LONDON, September 22. It - is unofficially reported in Washington that the strong Japanese fleet which was attacked on September 14, has now withdrawn out of range of navy planes. STRONGLY POSTED AUSTRALIAN GUERILLAS IN TIMOR. FREQUENT ATTACKS MADE ON JAPANESE. CANBERRA, September 22. In their first three months, Australian guerilla forces on Timor killed 250 Japanese. Australian casualties have been light. Twice the enemy has attempted to induce the Australians to surrender and has received scornful replies. The health of our troops, according to a man who recently escaped from the island, is excellent. For food, they have deer, pigs, buffaloes, goats, maize, oranges, rice and tropical fruits. The Australians hold strong posts in the rich jungle country high in the mountains. They make frequent guerilla sorties. On one occasion, a party of six Australians entered Dilli itself and “souvenired” a number of Japanese.
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Wairarapa Times-Age, 23 September 1942, Page 3
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693GUNS & SUPPLIES Wairarapa Times-Age, 23 September 1942, Page 3
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