NOW IMMINENT

Wairarapa Times-Age, 26 November 1943, Page 4

NOW IMMINENT

FALL OF SATELBERG LAST JAPANESE STRONGHOLD ON HUON PENINSULA. PERSISTENT AUSTRALIAN ADVANCE. (Special P.A. Correspondent.) (Received This Day, 11.50 a.m.) SYDNEY, This Day. The fall of the Japanese strongpoint of Satelberg, on the Huon Penihsula in New Guinea, is imminent, Australian troops are now within 400 yards of the summit of the Satelberg heights. Fine weather during the past few days has hardened track surfaces and the heavy Matilda tanks which have been 3

main contributing factor towards

the rapid Australian advance may now be able to drive right on to

the final objective. The Japanese have fought a stubborn defensive action, their known casualties numbering more than 300, while Australian casualties have been a mere fraction of this total. The figures are made even more remarkable by the fact that the Australians have been attacking uphill, against strong prepared positions. The use of tanks and heavy aerial and artillery bombardment have combined with the excellent jungle Craft of the A.I.F. troops to account for the disparity in the casualty rate. War correspondents in the area report that captured Japanese defences include deep-cut gun positions and timbered foxholes, linked in depth by an elaborate system of crawl trenches. During the past few days the retreating Japanese' have left behind a number of messages to the Australians.These are being sought eagerly by souvenir hunters. One boastfully optimistic message read: “Goodbye friends, we will see you in Australia. If you do not know it, those behind you know that our forces are stronger than yours.” The fall of Satelberg will mean the end of organised Japanese resistance on the Huon Peninsula. Finschhafen, Which was captured from the Japanese pn October 2 was the starting point for the present Australian offensive. The enemy forces retreated to Satelberg, where they had prepared strong defensive positions, after the fall of Finschhafen. Later in the month they made a vain and costly attempt to break through to the coast again.