TRAP CLOSING

Wairarapa Times-Age, 28 September 1943, Page 3

TRAP CLOSING

ON JAPANESE GARRISON AT FINSCHHAFEN FORCES MOVING UP FROM LAE. ALLIED BOMBERS CAUSING HAVOC. (Bv Telegraph—Press Association Copyright) SYDNEY, September 27. Allied forces advancing from three sides are rapidly closing the trap on the Japanese garrison at Finschhafen in New Guinea. General MacArthur's communique today reveals for the first time that Allied forces are moving up from Lae to complete the encirclement of Finschhafen. Meeting little opposition, they have reached Hanisch Harbour, on the Huon Gulf, about 30 miles round the coast from Finschhafen. One Australian force which landed six miles north of Finschhafen and pushed inland is now approaching Statelberg, about 10 miles north-west of the enemy base. Another Australian amphibious force has encountered sharp resistance round the Bumi River, less than a mile from the base. It is now apparent that the Japanese have been building up defensive positions on the inner perimeter at Finschhafen and intend to make a stubborn stand. MOUNTAIN ROAD BLOCKED. Inland in the area south of the enemy base at Madang, our heavy and medium bombers are causing havoc among lines of communications, installations and defences. In the Bogadj im area, about 20 miles south of Madang, a force of Liberators on Saturday attacked a recently-constructed motor road which has been the enemy’s feeder line for operations in the Ramu Valley. The bombers dropped 21 tons of explosives, wrecking bridges and causing a landslide which, with bomb craters, blocked the narrow mountain road just south of Bogadjim. Airacobras accompanied the Liberators and strafed a truck convoy at minimum altitude. Other strong formations of Flying Fortresses and Mitchell bombers concentrated on Japanese positions in the Upper Ramu Valley and on the Marawasa Divide. They blasted defence positions and bivouac areas with 40 tons of bombs, and thoroughly strafed the targets with 84,000 rounds of ammunition. Many fires were started. BLOW AT KAHILI. Admiral Halsey’s heavy torpedo and dive-bombers, with a fighter escort, struck a heavy blow in the Kahili area at the southern end of Bougainville Island in the Solomons. Direct hits were scored on gun positions, buildings were destroyed, and fires started. A force of 60 Japanese fighters atempted to intercept, and nine were shot down, for the loss of two of our fighters. The Vila area, on Kolombangara Island, was twice raided by Allied bombers, which started fires and destroyed two barges at Ring! Cove. Fighters strafed and destroyed a small Japanese cargo vessel at Faisi Island, south of Bougainville, and two oilladen barges off Choiseul Island. American forces mopping up Arundel Island have counted 345 1 enemy dead.