BACK IN THE HILLS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 26 October 1943, Page 3

BACK IN THE HILLS

JAPANESE IN NORTHERN NEW GUINEA ESCAPE TO SEA CUT OFF. AIR ATTACKS ON ENEMY SHIPS & PLANES. (Special Australian Correspondent.) SYDNEY, October 25. Japanese troops trapped in the Finschhafen area have abandoned their efforts to break through to the sea from Satelberg, 10 miles north-west of Finschhafen. They have fallen back to the hills round Satelberg, apparently in the hope of restoring their lines of communication which are precarious and difficult to maintain. Tlie enemy forces are today officially described as “weak in numbers and of little significance.” Now that escape to the sea is definitely cut off, the Japanese may dig in and fight, but they will face considerable supply problems. The only outlet for these troops is by narrow inland trails to the far north coast, but the trails are believed to be totally inadequate for any large-scale evacuation attempt. After being driven out of Kitika village, only a mile from the coast, early on Friday morning, the Japanese took up positions about a mile west, from which they have since withdrawn. They had held their most forward positions for three days. General MacArthur’s communique states: “Heavy damage was done when our escorted medium bombers made a low-level attack on the Dagua and But aerodromes at Wewak and on shipping in the harbour. Twenty "grounded aircraft were destroyed, two 1000-ton cargo ships sunk and a third damaged. Sixteen barges were also destrojred and three of 28 intercepting fighters were shot down, with three others probably • destroyed. Four of our fighters are missing. “In a surprise night attack at Buka, on Bougainville Island, a heavy reconnaissance bomber scored three direct hits on the deck of a large vessel resembling an aircraft-carrier, causing a large explosion and a fire. At Choiseul Island Admiral Halsey’s aircraft attacked a corvette, leaving it settling by the stern. For three hours and a half they strafed 24 enemy barges, effectively dispersing them.” AUSTRALIAN LEADER GENERAL WHO TAKES RISKS. (Special Australian Correspondent.) SYDNEY, October 25. The Australian troops who drove the Japanese out of the Markham and Ramu valleys in New Guinea are elements of the famous Seventh Division of the A.I.F. They became Australia’s first airborne division and then reverted to “footsloggers.” The Seventh Division beat the Ninth into Lae by two hours, following their landing from the air at Nadzab. They are commanded by Major-Gen-eral George Vasey, who, after distinguishing himself in the Middle East, directed last year’s land offensive against the Japanese across the Owen Stanleys. In the present drive in the Ramu Valley the general’s lean, erect figure is a familiar sight in forward areas. He wears habitually his general’s cap with its bright red band and his impressive row of ribbons. “General Vasey’s staff officers privately . deplore the risks he takes,” writes an Australian war correspondent in New Guinea, “but his men admire him enormously.”