WHY VILA FELL

Dominion, Volume 37, Issue 14, 12 October 1943, Page 5

WHY VILA FELL

Allied Sea And Air

Blockade SANTA YSABEL IN ALLIED HANDS?

■ (By Telegraph. —Press Assn. —Copyrigjit.) (Received October 11, 10.45 p.m.) SYDNEY, October 11. Allied ground forces last Wednesday occupied the Japanese base of Vila, on Kolombangara Island, in the central Solomons. The Japanese were forced to abandon the base because of the Alied sea and air blockade. By the week; end American troops had invested all the former main Japanese positions on Kolombangara ail'd were able to report that no organized enemy forces remained on the island. Much abandoned equipment was found, including artillery. On Vila aerodrome were 10 wrecked aircraft. Small parties of Japanese are still trying. to escape from Kolombangara. On Friday msnt Allied light naval craft intercepted 29 Japanese attempting to get away in small boats. A Tokio official radio announcement that Japanese naval aircraft on Saturday bombed Rekata Bay, formerly an important enemy seaplane base on the northeastern shore of Ganta Ysabel Island, is believed by the Washington correspondent of the Associated Press of America to suggest that the Americans have captured this stronghold.. However, there is no official confirmation. Santa. Ysabel is a long narrow island between Choiseul and Malaita Islands and about 65 miles north-east of New Georgia. Rekata Bay is about 125 miles east of Vella Lavella Island, the recent Allied occupation of which was a prime factor in making. Kolombangara Island untenable for the Japanese.