NEW GUINEA THRUST

Wairarapa Times-Age, 16 July 1943, Page 3

NEW GUINEA THRUST

ALLIES CLOSING ON MUBO STRONGPOINT CAPTURED. AND JAPANESE FORCE CUT OFF, LONDON July 15. A special communique from General. MacArthur’s headquarters announces that the Allied forces are closing in on Mubo. A later report says that a Japanese strongpoint was captured and a mediumsized Japanese force cut off. Clashes occurred seven miles south of Sahimaua.

MUNDA GARRISON

FACING ANNIHILATION.

DEMONSTRATION OF ALLIED AIR SUPERIORITY.

(Special Australian Correspondent.) SYDNEY, July 15. No change is reported today in the land position in New Georgia. Today’s communique from General MacArthurs headquarters gives striking evidence of the continued Allied air superiority over the en-

tire South-Western Pacific battle zone. While our aircraft were active over nine enemy-occupied areas, Japanese air activity was virtually at a standstill.

When three enemy dive-bombers were intercepted by Kittyhawks .near Salamaua, all were, shot down. The main Allied offensive air activity yesterday was directed against Japanese aerodromes in the northern Solomons. War correspondents in the central Solomons report that American troops are steadily infiltrating the outer peri-, meter of the Japanese defences at Munda, where the beleaguered enemy garrison is facing annihilation. Meanwhile, Munda’s companion air base, Vila, on Kolombangara Island, is being softened up by Allied bombing attacks. The fall of Munda would enable the Americans to mount artillery on the New Georgian coast and shell Vila, which is only six miles across the Kula Gulf—just as Munda is now being shelled across Blanche Channel from Rendova.

“The probability is that the Japanese will leave Munda to the fate that is steadily overtaking it and will make their last stand in the Nev/ Georgia group on Kolombangara,” writes an Australian war correspondent. “There is evidence that the enemy is pushing reinforcements into Vila, but no evidence that he is trying to reinforce Munda from Vila,” he says.

KULA GULF BATTLES JAPANESE NAVAL LOSSES. WASHINGTON, July 14. The Japanese naval force which was defeated in the second Kula Gulf battle consisted of 10 light cruisers and destroyers. This has been revealed by a “Headquarters source," says the United Press correspondent. The Allied forces suffered only slight damage, while the Japanese have now lost 12 in the two battles, and possibly 14, warships within a week. “The action took place in circumstances similar to the first Kula Gulf battle,” adds the correspondent, “with the Allies derailing another section of the Tokio express."