SAVAGE FIGHTING

Wairarapa Times-Age, 30 November 1942, Page 3

SAVAGE FIGHTING

IN NEW GUINEA COASTAL STRIP JAPANESE CONTESTING EVERY INCH. AIR FORCES ON BOTH SIDES ACTIVE. LONDON, November 29. Heavy fighting continues in the Buna-Goiia coaslal strip, in Eastern New Guinea, in which the -Japanese are slid holding out. The enemy is contesting every inch ol: ground. Air forces of both sides are active and Japanese naval forces are known to be manoeuvring off the coast. The American Associated Press correspondent, Murlin Spencer, quotes a senior United States officer at Buna as saying: "Those who said the Japanese can’t fight defensively are crazy. They are in beautifully placed positions. We will dig them out, but it may take a little time.”

Spencer says the Americans are attacking on a front only a. few hundred yards wide, but the savagery of the fighting is -shown by long lines of wounded coming back. The highest praise is again given to the work of the medical staffs and native stretcherbearers. Surgeons, stripped to the waist, have operated by the light of torches hold by less seriously wounded patients. The establishment of the new American canvas hospital in the forward area will certainly save many lives. It is announced in Washington that the Japanese have reoccupied Attn, the most westerly of the Aleutian Islands, about 240 miles north-west of Kiska. American aircraft have attacked enemy positions in New Georgia. On Guadalcanal United States forces are engaged in minor patrol activities while consolidating their recent gains.

NO DAMAGE DONE IN JAPANESE AIR RAID ON DARWIN. SYDNEY, November 29. Darwin lias now had its thirtieth night raid. Twelve Japanese bombers came over at a high altitude. They attacked the aerodrome but caused no damage This was the forty-ninth enemy raid on Darwin. Japanese reconnaissance planes recently made daylight flights over the area. Allied Hudson bombers and Beaufighters are maintaining their attacks on objectives in Timor, where Japanese activity is reported to have increased significantly. Beco and Novalusa on the south coast were targets for raids on Friday and Saturday.