LAND FIGHTING

Wairarapa Times-Age, 8 February 1943, Page 3

LAND FIGHTING

IN NORTHERN NEW GUINEA STRONG ENEMY FORCES KEPT AT BAY. FIGHTING CONDITIONS DIFFICULT (Special Australian Correspondent.) SYDNEY, February 7. While our fighters were shooting the enemy bombers out of the sky over Wau, our bombers made heavy raids on the aerodrome at Lae, which was probably the main base for the enemy’s surprise air offensive. This action indicates the importance which is attached by the Japanese to the Wau aerodrome, and fiercer fighting in the area may be expected. The air battle was preceded by fresh enemy ground attempts on Thursday night to capture the aerodrome. Strong Australian counter-attacks drove the Japanese from the field, leaving 54 dead. Our 25-pounders played an important part in the engagement. Attempts were made to break through the Australian defence at two points, each about three miles distant from the airfield. The first Japanese assault made some gains, but after the enemy had come under fire from the Australian artillery our infantry made a strong counter-attack, compelling them to retire. Since January 28 the Australians in the area have kept superior enemy forces at bay. Our troops have now buried 450 of the enemy, of whom 300 were killed in the first battle for the aerodrome. Heavy casualties have also been inflicted by our strafing aircraft and artillery. The enemy have not yet brought artillery into action. The fighting'conditions are difficult, but very different from those of the Papuan campaign. Nights at high altitudes (3500 feet to 5000 feet) are bitterly cold, and a war correspondent writes: “Two men share one blanket where three blankets to each would not be considered pampering. Besides being cold, the jungle is wet, and men of -some units have been out so long without a change of clothing that their socks have fallen to nieces on their feet.” GETTING FRESH MEAT. The troops in the forward positions are unable to prepare hot meals, because the fires would give away their positions. But those in the rear areas are more fortunate, and a story of how they are obtaining fresh meat from a herd of 500 Zebu cattle is one of the romances of the campaign. Two former New Guinea bushmen, with the assistance of 20 natives, rounded up the cattle at a deserted station 12 days’ march from Wau. A 3000 ft. mountain range had to be crossed, but the complete herd was delivered at Wau at a cost of £6O to the Australian Army. Australian infantry patrols continue to be active in the area. A notable success was scored by one small party led by Captain H. B. Gullett, a Melbourne journalist, and son of the late Sir Henry Gullett, the former Commonwealth Minister. Two enemy staging camps were attacked, and between 50 and 60 Japanese were killed. Beaufighters have been prominent in the strafing sweeps. When 30 Japanese took shelter n a shed which was packed with miners' gelignite they gave one of our Beaufighters an unexcelled opportunity foe mass destruction. Not only were the enemy troops wiped out, but 50 pigs which were herded at the shed vanished from the supplies of the Japanese army commissariat. Strafing sweeps are also reported along the Markham and Ramu River valleys. Both rivers are being used by the Japanese for the transport of supplies to their inland troops. Nine Japanese ships totalling more than 30,000 tons have been sunk or damaged in further widespread air attacks by the Allies on the enemy bases which ring Australia’s north. More than 60 attacks have been made during the past week by General MacArthur”s bombers on these bases. NEW GEORGIA BASES BOMBED BY AMERICAN AIRCRAFT. (British Official Wireless.) (Received This Day, 11.40 a.m.) RUGBY, February 7.

An American Navy Department communique states: “On Saturday morning small groups of American planes bombed enemy positions on Kolombangara Island,' New Georgia. During the evening, Dauntless divebombers, with a Wildcat escort, bombed Munda, New Georgia. All the American planes returned.”