RABAUL AGAIN

Dominion, Volume 36, Issue 104, 27 January 1943, Page 5

RABAUL AGAIN

Fortresses Blow Up Munitions Ship SEVENTH RAID IN NINE DAYS

(By Telegraph—Press Assn.—Copyright.) (Special Australian Correspondent.) (Received January 26, 11.55 p.m.) SYDNEY, January 26.

Diving through an intense antiaircraft barrage and searchlight screen to as low as 200 feet, Flying Fortresses of General MacArthur’s command scored direct hits on two Japanese ships in Rabaul harbour early on Monday morning. A 2000ton munitions ship exploded and a large hole,was torn in the side of another medium-sized merchantman.

This was the .seventh raid on Rabaul in nine days. Present air activity in both the South-west and South Pacific command areas is the greatest to date. The most regular target for our recent attacks has been the enemjto base at. Lae. .Many 10001 b. bombs were dropped with devastating effect in the building and supply dump areas in a raid on .Monday. Some observers suggest these persistent attacks on Lae are forcing the Japanese to divert their main New Guinea strength to Wewuk, nearly 400 miles west of Lae. Considerable enemy lighter opposition has been encountered recently in this area. In contrast, little Japanese fighter opposition has been met over the nearer base of Madang and Fiusclihafen, which are also under frequent attack. The harbour installations at Finsehhafen were raided on Monday.

Japanese aircraft made further light night raids on Port Moresby and Millie Bay, causing negligible, damage.

IMPORTANT HEIGHTS CAPTURED

Air Activity In Solomons LONDON, January 25.

A Navy Department communique says: “During the morning of January 22 United States ground forces on Guadalcanal attacked Japanese positions west of the airfield. In spite of strenuous enemy opposition, six important elevations were captured and 110 Japanese killed. “Continued aggressive tactics on January 23 enabled our forces to capture Koktnnbona and seize quantities of stores and equipment. United States troops continued mopping up pockets of enemy resistance, and 01 Japanese were killed and 40 taken prisoner. Destroyer Damaged.

“United States aircraft bombed and damaged a large Japanese destroyer and cargo ship in the Shortland Island area. “During the night of January 23-24 enemy planes raided the United States positions on Guadalcanal. United States air and surface forces on January 23-24 bombarded the enemy positions on Kilombangara Island, in the New Georgia Group. The operations were successfully completed and fires and explosions in fuel and ammunition dumps indicated that the area held by the enemy was completely burnt out.” In the words of the United States Navy spokesman, these activities, together with those in the Munda area, constitute the greatest air activity in the South and South-west Pacific since Pearl Harbour. Deadly Torpedo-boats.

Reporting front an American base in the Solomons the United Press correspondent. Robert Miller, says, that American torpedo-boats are estimated to have sunk or damaged 250,000 tons of enemy shipping, including a battleship, two cruisers, and 13 destroyers, since they began operations in tlie Solomons in'October. Previously the Japanese used to send ships iailen with te inforcetnents for Giiadalcumil with monotonous regularity; now the traffic on Illis route has been practically stopped. Tlie torpedo-boats instilled such tear in the minds of the Japanese that they no longer pause to unload supplies, but throw them overboard in floating crates, most of which are destroyed by torpedoboats and planes before they can reach Hie shore. . , , . . A correspondent of the Associated Press of America at an advanced base in the South Pacific, says that General Vamlegrift. when handing over his coniniaiiil to General Patch, remarked. “The situation is in good hands, and I feel that at present Guadalcanal is secure.” He added that the Americans are taking terrific toll of the enemy in tlie Solomons in adilitiou to the many thousands of Japanese who went down in their warships ami troopships when attempting to land. He estiinaletl that 10 Japanese had been killed for every American, ami that their aerial losses were seven to one. "The Japanese is a good lighting man. bill no superman, ami can bl*'killed the same as anyone else.”

CONVOYING IN PACIFIC

“Tremendous Success” (British Ollieial Wireless.) RUGBY, January 25. It is reported from Pearl Harbour that Captain Richard Coffman, senior Pacific convoy eonnnnntler, who has never lost a ship, told reporters that convoying in the I’aeifie has been a tremendous success. The Japanese information of Allied convoy movements was not so_ good as the Germans,’ ami also the crippled surface foreis of the Japanese had not Hie strength to spread their fangs eastward in tlie I’aeifie. He added: "We know that tlie offensive barometer will soon rise in the South Pacific. We are. building something in (hat area.”