Show lAmes Capture Jap Base Basen n New Guinea MAC ARTHUR HEADQUARTERS Australia Nov 3 UP UP- UP Allied ground forces Monday captured the Japanese base at Ko Ko- Ko- Ko koda inland New Guinea after a grueling drive over the Owen Stanley mountains and Tuesday were shoving the Japanese troops toward their coastal base at Buna after medium and heavy allied bombers drove off an ene convoy convoy con cun- voy and set fire lire to a transport attempting to approach Buna with I reinforcements The recapture of highlighted highlighted high high- lighted lighte a sharp turn in the fighting in southeastern New Guinea where the Japanese five weeks ago were within 32 miles of Port Moresby the key allied position on the island The Japanese aware of the precarious precarious precarious pre pre- carious position of their troops attempted to send two transports with an estimated soldiers to toBuna toBuna toI Buna to bolster their retreating I forces an allied said Allied heavy bombers sighted the transports escorted by a light cruiser cruis cruiser cruis- cruis er a destroyer and nine fighter planes and attacked as they were approaching Buna Medium bombers then attacked Monday afternoon and dropped bombs which missed the transport only narrowly The convoy with with- drew At twilight the bombers struck Continued on Page Three Column Three Special Air Mail Egg Shipment for o r Japs JaP s in inc South Pacific c- c t 0 k A a 1 I Ih h y iv Qs t A y I. I MTV 4 w C k H v Associated Press Photo GROUND CREW LOADS U. U S. S BOMBER O I ER W WITH POUND POUND BOMBS IDS AT PORT l MORESBY Y Australian soldiers left watch operation wh ich is shielded from enemy view by camouflage Allies Capture Japanese Base At in New Guinea Continued from Page One again off the south coast of New Britain and scored a direct hit on one of the transports and near hits hitson hitson hitson on both One transport was last seen burning off on the south coast of New Britain it was stated officially The Japanese landed first at Buna on July 22 and within two weeks had advanced 60 miles across New Guinea to a small village accommodating an airfield a rubber plantation and anda a number of buildings and native huts Then Allies Stiffened Allied forces offered little re resistance resistance resistance re- re to the Japanese push in inthe inthe inthe the early stages Backed by su- su perlor forces the Japanese drove into the foot Owen Stanley mountains and by September 16 they had fought their way through the gap in the mountain range and were facing allied troops at only 32 miles from Port Moresby There the allied defenses stiffened and after 10 days of parrying parrying parrying par par- tough Australian troops forced the Japanese back and started started started start start- ed the advance back over the mountains to For weeks allied fighters and bombers have been bombing and strafing the Japanese line of supply supply supply sup sup- ply leading back to Buna and that coastal base has been visited al alI almost almost al- al most daily Between and I Buna there is a trail leading through the difficult New Guinea jungle country |