ALLIED RAIDS ON RABAUL

Press, Volume LXXIX, Issue 23974, 15 June 1943, Page 5

ALLIED RAIDS ON RABAUL

GROUNDED AIRCRAFT BOMBED 261 ENEMY PLANES ON THREE AIRFIELDS (Special Australian Corresp., N.Z.P.A.) (Rec. 10.30 p.m.) SYDNEY. June 14. In spite of the heavy pounding of the Rabaul aerodromes the Japanese continue to concentrate powerful air forces there. In three raids made in the last four days General MacArthur's bombers have dropped 89 tons of bombs among grounded aircraft. But reconnaissance photographs on Sunday showed a total of 261 aeroplanes on the three aerodromes at this key enemy base. They included medium bombers, fighters, and float-planes. Flying Fortresses and Liberators made the latest raid, early on Sunday morning. To-day’s communique from South-west Pacific Headquarters reports: “Our heavy bombers attacked the Vunakanau aerodrome in a two hours’ night raid, dropning nearly 30 tons of explosives and incendiaries on runways and dispersal areas and among grounded aeroplanes. Numerous large fires were started, visible for 50 miles. Searchlight and antiaircraft defences were active. We had no losses.” Our bombers attacked in three formations. The first flight started one big fire, and more were started by the second group, so that the last of our raiding aircraft counted 11 separate fires. Subsequent aerial photographs revealed the dispersal of enemy air strength round Rabaul as follows: — Lakunai, 144 aeroplanes, including light bombers, medium bombers, single-seat fighters, and transports; Rapopo. 31 aeroplanes, comprising medium and light bombers; Vunakanau 86 aeroplanes, comprising medium bombers and single-seater fighters. This is one of the largest assemblages of aeroplanes ever observed by Allied reconnaissance over Rabaul. General MacArthur’s communique to-day also reports Allied attacks on Gasmata. in New Britain, Lae, and Komiatum, in New Guinea, and Dilli and Koepang, in Timor. At least 50 buildings were destroyed at Koepang by the heavy Allied raids on June 5 and 11. This is shown by ah analysis of air photographs taken after the raids. Mitchell medium bombers have now set fire to a further portion of the town. , At Gasmata Flying Fortresses destroyed a grounded enemy bomber. Boston attack aeroplanes made 38 strafing passes over the Japanese positions at Komiatum, in addition to dropping bombs. Small-scale raids on Port Moresby and Gona have been made by enemy aeroplanes. Three aircraft were over Gona on Saturday night. This was the first time the Japanese air force had attacked the area since their troops were driven out of Papua. They did no damage. Four medium bombers raided Port Moresby early on Sunday night, dropping six bombs harmlessly in the bush. This was Port Moresby’s one hundred and eleventh raid I