Evening star., 1942-09-08
Japs Pushing
Ahead Toward.
Port Moresby
Jungle Fighters
RepuIse Allied
Patrols in Mountains
Es the Associated Press.

E, the Associated Press.
GEN. MACARTHUR'S HEAD
QUARTERS, Australia, Sept. g.
japanese jungle fighters, forcing
back Allied advance patrols,
have pushed up into the Owen
Stanley Range and are in con-
tact with the Allied defense line
in the mountains guarding the
way across Southeast New
Guinea to Port Moresby, Gen.
Douglas MacArthur's headquar-
ters disclosed today.
A communique said fighting was
on an expanded scale from earlier
patrol clashes.
ct was not Immediately clear
whether the japanese had won
| their way through the principal
| pass in the mountains or wheth-
| er the Allied defense line still
guarded the high gap.)
The communique said I'm series
of frontal attacks, combined with
development, the enemy has made
advances, forcing back our troops
| in the forward areas and is now in
contact with our defense positions. :"
In Kokoda- Myola Area.
The scene OF the japanese ad-
vance was described as the Kokoda-
Myola area.
Kokoda, scene of recent patrol
| clashes, is ! 900 feet above sea level
| on the north side of the range
some so miles from Port Moresby
Myola. mentioned for the first time
in today's communique. is 5000 feet
above sea level, some 3 miles south
of Kokoda on the way to the Allied
port.
I'm the last few days Of August
the Sydney Morning Herald's cor
respondent said in dispatch from
New Guinea, sthe Japanese forced
back the Allied troops south of Ko-
koca and took possession OF few
miles of rough and muddy track
The Allies completed their with
drawal operation and established a
new line In the heart of the tower
ing range of jungle-covered noun
tains. whose peaks are wreathed in
perpetual cloud. - = The toughest
part of the journey is still before
the Japanese"
The fighting. which had consisted
largely Of patrol skirmishes, widened
in extent and bitterness and both
sides sent planes skimming over the
mountain peaks to join in the i'm
portant struggle.
The japanese have lost more
than 1000 men in the prelim-
mary stages of the fighting since
their landing at Coma Mission July
70 and the advance to Kokoda, a
spokesman for Gen. Macarthur said.
The drive to Myola came after an
other Japanese force, landed at
Milne Bay in an apparent effort to
move up the southern coast of New
Guinea to Port Moresby on the
Allies side of the mountain range,
walked into ambush and disaster.
Some japanese were still lurking
in the Milne Bay area on the ex-
treme southeastern tip of New
Guinea, but today's communique
said the Allied mopping up opera
tions there were nearing compile
ton" Taking advantage of un-
favorable flying weather which pre-
vented Allied air attacks, japanese
naval units entered the bay on Sun
day and Monday night and shelled
the Allied positions, it was reported.
The foresight and skill with which
the intended japanese invasion at
Milne Bay was met and defeated
indicated that the enemy force ad-
vancing from Kokoda might be
moving forward to unpleasant sur
prises. The Allied forces have had
months to prepare their positions
around the mountain pass.
Allied planes flying over the
mountains were reported diving
down to bomb and machine gun
japanese supply lines and installa-
tions. Large fires were started and
direct hits scored on huts in which
the japanese had installed them
selves, the communique said.
A group of 26 Japanese bombers
with fighter escort attacked Port
Moresby, but the damage caused
was slight and there were no cas-
ualties, it was reported One enc
my bomber was destroyed.