Evening star., 1942-08-31
Reds Hold Foe at Sto|inqrod,
Press Attack On Other Fronts:
Allies Mop Up Milne Bay Area
japanese FoothoId
Smashed in Trup
On New Guinea

(Story OF Solomon Islands raid
By Japanese on Page A-2.)
p, the Associated Press.
GEN. MacARTHUR'S HEAD
QUARTERS, Australia, Aug. 81
Hard-fghting Australian ground
troops, slashing through the
muddy jungle of Southeastern
New Guinea, with United States
and Australian air units aiding
from above, have smashed the
japanese invaders of the Milne
Bay area in carefully laid trap
and with them a new menace to
Australia.
Gen. Douglas Macarthur, in a
special communique today, an
nounced that Australian troops
commanded by Maj. Gen. Cyril Al
bert Cloves, an Australian veteran
Of the Near East campaigns, had
driven the unwary japanese out on
the narrow peninsula north of
Milne Bay where they are being
rapidly reduced"
Although portion of the Japan
ese forces probably was saved from
destruction by evacuation on jap
anese wsrships at night, their losses
have been heavy, the communique
said.
Enemy Fell Into Trap.
All of their heavy supplies. in
cluding tanks, were abandoned on
the narrow beach of Milne Bay,
which they entered so confidently
last Wednesday.
The communique, passed out jubi-
lantly at Gen. MacArthurs head
quarters, told how the Allied COM
mand in complete secrecy prepared
Tor the japanese thrust, the fourth
enemy attempt to reach the ad-
vanced Allied outpost at Port
Moresby, New Guinea.
The enemy fell into the trap
with disastrous results to him." the
communique concluded.
Milne Bay is only 420 miles from
the nearest point on the Australian
mainland and some 225 miles south
east of the Allied base at Port
Moresby, New Guinea.
(Seven hundred miles to the
east, in the Solomon Islands, the
only official report was of two
japanese bombing raids Fri
day on American positions at
Guadalcanal. A communique is
sued in Washington said three
enemy bombers and four fight
ers were shot down. Damage to
American positions was de-
scribed as minor and no United
States planes were lost)
Area Being Cleared.
Bitter fighting still was in prog
ress along the muddy trails OF the
jungles and mangrove swamps OF
Milne Bays north peninsula, but
the communique said the area was
rapidly being cleared of the en-
envy"
Australian Imperials and militia,
brilliantly supported by American
and Australian air units" were cred
tied with achieving the success.
United States service troops were
in the Milne Bay area as well,
previous announcements said.
The japanese who escaped from
the Milne Bay trap apparently were
taken off on eight destroyers and
cruiser which slipped into the bay
Saturday night. Allied bomber pilots,
hampered by bad weather, were un-
able to break up the action.
Prime Minister John Curtin of
Australia, informed of the Milne
Bay communique, said: "I express
our gratitude to the gallant forces
and able leadership for all that is
being done for us. Australia Is
we'll served"
Army Minister Francis M. Forde
said that "in their planning and
execution Australia's military ad-
vlsers acted with great foresight and
ability. Although the latest news
Is encouraging, it does not minimize
the seriousness of Australia's posi-
ton ="
Fourth Phase of Offensive.
The japanese adventure in Milne
Bay was the fourth phase of an
effort to capture Port Moresby. the
communique said The Allied base
is on the south coast of the island
and is protected on the north bv
the high and forbidding Owen
Stanley Range.
The Japanese first tried to turn
tSee NEW GUINEA, Page A-14D