Evening star., 1942-04-23
Aussies and Dutch
Continue Fight
On Timor Island
Allied Aircraft Make
New Roid on Enemy
Base at Roboul
By the Associated Press.


ALLIED HEADQUARTERS
Australia, April 3.-Australiar
and Dutch forces still are fight
ing in the interior Of the half
Dutch, half-Portuguese island OF
Timor, some 400 miles of the
northwest tip of Australia, an
Allied headquarters communique
declared today.
The bulletin also announced that
Allied aircraft had made another
attack yesterday on the japanese
base at Rabaul, New Britain. bomb
ing docks and shore structures.
The assault followed surprise at
tack on the same objective the pre-
vious afternoon, during which direct
hits were scored on buildings, the
communique added.
In reference to the situation in
the Philippines, headquarters re-
ported the Japanese had made inter-
mittent divebombing attacks on
Corregidor Fortress, but declared
that enemy aerial activity there
was diminishing.
"Our forces are in contact with
the enemy in Southern Panay
Island" the communique said
tersely, and added that fighting also
was continuing on Cebu Island, but
gave no details.
(The Toxic radio quoted the
newspaper Asahi today as saying
500 to 800 Americans and Fill
pinos were still fighting on
Panay)
The bulletin also reported that
enemy seaplanes had carried out at
tacks on northern districts of Min
danao, the big island at the south
ern end of the Philippines.
Macarthur, Brett Confer.
Gen. Douglas Macarthur con-
ferred today with 1t. Gen. George
H. Brett, commander of the Allied
air forces, after the latter's return
from a tour OF air bases in Aus
tralia.
1t was believed Gen. Brett gave
his commander in chief a detailed
report from personal observation of
Allied air operations against the
japanese.
(The Australian radio, as
heard by c. B. S. said Gen Mac
Arthur, accompanied by the COM
mander of the Allied land forces
in Australia, Gen. Sir Thomas
Blamey, and other Australian
service chiefs, spent three and
one-half hours in conference
with Prime Minister John Cur
tin and the Premiers of Aus
tralia's constituent states.
c"Gen. Macarthur explained
the latest war news, with par
ticular reference to recent events
in the Southwest Pacific" the
broadcast said. "Afterward Mr..
Curtin said he felt certain
that the talks had been of great
value, as Gen. Macarthur had
given a precise and detailed ac-
count of activities in the area
under his command")
= Japs Get Worst of Fight -
The Japanese ranged of Australia
are getting the worst of the fighting
under the battering tactics of Gen
Macarthur, it was reported yester-
day..
{ II batter them" is the best de-
scription Of Gen. Macarthur meth
DDS Of aerial warfare, the Sydney
Morning Herald declared.
Allied forces by that means had
regained the initiative in the New
Guinea area, the paper added.
1t was in New Guinea-at Port
Moresby. which the japanese want
for an invasion base-that Allied
fighter plane defenders shot down
four japanese Zero" fighters in a
raid on the port area Tuesday, a
communique from Allied headquar-
tiers announced.
The communique said the Port
Moresby defense was brilliant. The
defenders lost no planes.
Japs Pinned to Bases.
The Morning Herald said the
Japanese have been pinned to their
island bases north of Australia and
for the first time the enemy is get
ting the worst Of the battering"
I'VE know from bitter experience
what that means. Japan will be
forced to dispatch many more air
craft to this distant region or de-
eide whether her advanced positions
are tenable.
Without undue optimism this Is q
sign of Allied recovery at one point
in the vast Pacific theater and as
the heci0ni1r 0f better things"