STILL DRIVING ON

Wairarapa Times-Age, 15 October 1942, Page 3

STILL DRIVING ON

AUSTRALIANS IN NEW GUINEA SUMMIT OF THE RANGES PASSED. LOSSES OF ATTACKERS LIGHT. (Special Assn. Correspondent.) SYDNEY, October 14. Australian troops have penetrated Japanese positions astride the Owen Stanley trail south of Templeton’s Crossing, just past the summit of the ranges. They are still driving on. The strength of the enemy forces in the area has not been announced.

Skirmishes in which tommygun fire was exchanged occurred after opposing patrols had stalked each other on Monday. It was reported today that determined frontal and flank actions finally drove the Japanese from foxholes, trenches and machine-gun posts, and that the Australians are now approaching Templeton’s Crossing, which is on the edge of the northern slopes of the ranges at the junction of the alternative trails through Kagi and Myola—both already in the hands of our forces. The latest report that the Australian advance is continuing encourages the belief that further good news from the New Guinea front may be expected. Most of the war commentators believe that once Templeton’s Crossing is passed, the Japanese are unlikely to offer strong resistance till Kokoda is reached, at the foot of the ranges—a drop of 5000 feet down 12 miles of trail.

No estimate has been given of the number of casualties inflicted on the Japanese, but the Australian losses during the whole advance are stated to have, been light. More men have been brought back to hospital suffering from tropical diseases than from wounds.