LAE BOMBED AGAIN

Press, Volume LXXIX, Issue 23964, 3 June 1943, Page 5

LAE BOMBED AGAIN

THIRD ALLIED RAID IN SIX DAYS AERODROME HEAVILY ATTACKED (Special Australian Corresp.. N.Z,PA.) (Rec. 11 p.m.) SYDNEY, June 2. For the third time in six days the Japanese base at Lae was heavily raided on Tuesday. In the three raids 100 tons of bombs have been dropped. This concentrated air attack is one of the most severe Allied onslaughts in such a short time against any enemy base in the south-west Pacific area. On May 27 28 tons of bombs were dropped, on Monday 36 tons, and 36 tons again on Tuesday. Liberators made the latest attack on the Lae aerodrome. Photographs taken by the raiders show a pall of smoke covering the runway after the raid. No Liberators were lost. Beaufighters made a sweep along the north New Guinea coast, strafing enemy-occupied villages in the Madang area. Allied reconnaissance bombers were over Gasmata. in New Britain, Amboina, and Kendari, in the Celebes. Through breaks in a cloudbank a Liberator dropped bombs on the Kendari aerodrome. Two Zeros tried to intercept, but did not damage the bomber.

FUTURE MOVES IN PACIFIC

“ PREPARATION FOR BIG CLASH” CORRESPONDENT’S VIEWS SYDNEY, June 2. The view is gaining ground that both the Allies and Japan are preparing for major blows that will end the long period of relatively small-scale warfare in the Pacific. Reports from America indicate a wide belief that the Allies will attempt a campaign to regain Rabaul and push the Japanese back to their central Pacific bastion ox W. E. Lucas, correspondent of the “Christian Science Monitor m the south-west Pacific, expresses doubts as to whether it would be possible for General MacArthur’s forces to roll back the Japanese to Truk by the reconquest of Rabaul and the intervening enemy bases. An island by island advahee north and north-east of Australia, declares Mr Lucas, would be so costly in men, judging by Guadalcanal), that it could hardly be contemplated, even if the Allies had the manpower to push it through. Any expedition by General MacArthur against Rabaul, he says, would be forced to run the gauntlet of the great series of enemy airfields from Bougainville in the northern Solomons to Wewak in north-east New Guinea, which must first be reduced by the A Mr S Lucas agrees that a big Pacific clash is now being prepared for. biu he believes that the Allied effort will be a sweeping affair involving a major fleet battle or a sudden thrust at some vital nerve centre behind the Japanese front lines. Mr Lucas thinks that Tokyo will probably attempt to make an Allied total victory too costly, thus hoping to obtain a favourable compromise peace. “Danger Not Past” He gives a warning that the danger of an invasion of northern Australia, particularly Darwin, is not past. Japan to obtain a negotiated peace, must have bargaining counters, and one of these is the manner in which she is strengthening her conquests north of Australia to a point at which it win be a Herculean task to penetrate them Though the Japanese line stretching from Timor to the Northern Solomons is primarily defensive, it could also permit an offensive against Darwin in the hope of eliminating the only Allied base pointing towards Timor This would allow further enemy offensives against Port Moresby and Milne Bay to eliminate the possible threat to Rabaul. “Such enemy offensives are well within the power of the Japanese forces which are known'to be within the arc covering Northern Australia,” writes Mr Lucas. “Even with the reinforcements for Australia agreed upon at the recent Washington conferences, it is probable that the Japanese would be able to assemble greater air strength in the south-west Pacific than General Mac Arthur could muster, It is doubtful whether the fact that General Mac Arthur could get aerial and other support from Admiral Halsey would tip the balance in the Allies’ favour.” The foreign editor of the “Washington Star,” Mr Constantine Brown, also says that though the tide of the Pacific battle gives every evidence of running with the Allies, it is logical to assume that the Japanese are planning strong counter-blows. These, he states, must be taken extremely seriously, since the Allied forces, while sufficient to gain local superiorities in the Pacific. are not great enough to cope with sudden emergencies at all places of Japan’s choosing.

BOMBER FIGHTS OFF ZEROS FIVE ENEMY FIGHTERS

SHOT DOWN (Special Australian Corresp.. N.ZP.A.i (Rec. 11.30 p.m.) SYDNEY, June 2. The feat of a single Flying Fortress in fighting off 16 Zeros over the northeast New Guinea coast is a highlight of General MacArthur’s communique to-day. Five of the Japanese fighters were shot down and a sixth was possibly destroyed in a running fight lasting 35 minutes. This is the largest number of Zeros ever fought off successfully by a single bomber in the south-west Pacific. Although badly damaged, the Fortress returned safely to its base. Three members of the crew were wounded. The engagement occurred near Finschhafen on Monday afternoon. The Fortress fired 4500 rounds of .30 and .50 calibre ammunition at the Zeros, which made from 12 to 14 passes at the bomber. The Allied air crew saw three Zeros hurtling smoking into the sea and a fourth crash into trees along the shore. A fifth, with vital parts shot away, went down out of control. Before the fight ended the Fortress had been hit in three of its engines, one of which was completely shot away. However, the big bomber limped home with important reconnaissance information.

LOCAL CLASHES IN BURMA CONSIDERABLE ENEMY

CASUALTIES (Rec. 7 p.m.) LONDON, June 1. A communique from India says: “In a number of localised encounters :n the Tiddim area of the Chin Hills during the last 10 days, considerable casualties have been inflicted on the enemy, who is occupying a position between Kalemyo and Fort White. Our own losses have been moderate. "Yesterday Blenheims supported our troops in the Chin Hills by bombing two enemy positions, and throughout the day fighter patrols attacked objectives in the same area. It is now confirmed that two additional enemy aircraft were destroyed in the raid on the Chittagong airfield on May 29, making a total of six."