IN NEW GUINEA

Wairarapa Times-Age, 3 July 1943, Page 3

IN NEW GUINEA

JAPANESE HEMMED IN BUT HOLDING MOUNTAINOUS AREA. AUSTRALIAN DRIVE FROM MUBO. (Special Australian Correspondent.) SYDNEY, July 2. Australian land forces are driving from the Mubo area in northern New Guinea toward Nassau Bay, where the American troops landed early on Wednesday morning. The Americans are consolidating their landing. General MacArthur’s latest communique indicates that the southern Pacific air forces are heavily engaged in a battle in the Nev; Guinea zone and are subjecting the enemy bases, particularly Rabaul, to a terrific pounding. These attacks are designed mainly to prevent Japanese air interference with the Allied operations. The situation on the Trobriands and Woodlark Islands is reported to be quiet after the unopposed landings. It is announced at General MacArthur’s Headquarters that contact between the American forces at Nassau Bay and the Japanese was being maintained. Though there is no sign yet of a Japanese counter-attack in this area, the Americans have encountered some machine-gun fire as well as boobytraps. The Japanese in the SalamauaMubo area are now hemmed in on two sides by the Allied forces. The terrain in this area is mountainous and difficult.

In support of the Allied ground forces Boston attack bombers have bombed and strafed enemy positions at Dual! at the northern end of Nassau Bay, commanding the coastal track to Mubo. The' casualties among the landing troops have been light in all areas. None were suffered at the Trobriands, Woodlark, or Nassau Bay, although some of our landing craft were datnaged in the exceptionally rough seas. It is reported that the Allied casualties in the New Georgia area have been small.

One of the heaviest blows of the Allied air operations supporting the general offensive was aimed against air installations at the enemy’s key base of Rabaul. Early yesterday morning Liberators, attacking in waves, struck at the Japanese airfields, dropping 22 tons of bombs on Lakunai, Vunakanau, and Rapopo. Medium bombers attacked in the Salamaua area, while low-flying Bostons raided the nearby base of Lae, where they concentrated on the aerodrome.