MORE HITS ON JAP VESSELS

Dominion, Volume 36, Issue 20, 19 October 1942, Page 5

MORE HITS ON JAP VESSELS

Enemy Bombardment DETAILS OF RECENT OPERATIONS (British Official Wireless.) (Received October 18, 7 p.m.) RUGBY, October 17. A communique from the United States Navy Department says:—“The following details of the action in recent days have been received: — “During an air attack on Guadalcanal last Monday afternoon three enemy bombers and five fighters were shot down. On Thursday night enemy surface vessels bombarded our positions on Guadalcanal for about an hour. “Naval aircraft made a night torpedo attack on a group of enemy vessels to the east of the Solomons. A torpedo hit on an enemy cruiser was reported. “Yesterday morning our aircraft from Guadalcanal attacked enemy troops’ positions along the north-west coast of the island. “Late in the afternoon navy and Marine Corps dive-bombers attacked two enemy transports and accompanying destroyers in the area west of New Georgia Island. Direct hits damaged and set fire to one transport, and the second is believed to have been damaged by near misses. ~: , “All information regarding the Solomon Islands which is not of value to the enemy is being announced as soon as possible after it has been received.” Land Artillery Used. Yesterday the Navy Department announced that a large enemy force which had landed on Guadalcanal with artillery was shelling the American ' positions. Other earlier details of the operations were- reported. On Wednesday morning American planes damaged nine enemy planes on the beach at Rekata Bay, in the north On the. same afternoon navy and marine dive-bombers with a fighter escort from, Guadalcanal made two attacks on enemy" transports approaching the island. Minor damage was reported. One United States fighter was lost. On Wednesday night American positions were shelled by enemy vessels north of the island. American motor torpedo-boats attacked the ships and reported a probable torpedo hit on a cruiser. . “A large group of enemy ships has been observed in the (Buin-Falsi area, near Shortland Island (north-west Solomons), in addition to various units in the south-eastern Solomons,” yesterday’s communique added.

TO MARINES’ AID

MacArthur’s Bombers Attack Bases (By Telegraph.—Press Assn.—Copyright.) (Special Australian Correspondent.) ((Received) October 18, 9.50 p.m.) SYDNEY, October 18. Allied aircraft of General MacArthur’s South-west Pacific Command have been giving strong support to Vice-Admiral Ghormley’s forces in the Solomon Islands. (Fifteen tons of bombs were dropped in a Flying Fortress raid) on the main Japanese southward base at Rabaul shortly before dawn today. Widespread damage is believed to have been, caused,, but the details of this and other raids are lacking. The aerodromes at Buka and Buin, In the northern Solomons, have been heavily attacked at night by large formations of bombers. At Buka many fires were started, and at Bum ~hits were scored on runways among 'dispersed aircraft. The main purpose of these raids has undoubtedly been to neutralize the Japanese air strength in the Solomons battle, but attacks against enemy shipping have also been made. At Buin and iShortland Island, Allied offensive reconnaissance units bombed two large Japanese transports. The results could not be observed.