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SHARP FIGHTING

Jap Land Attack In New Guinea NEW AIR DEFEAT (jj.. Telegraph.—i’ress Assn.—Copyright.) (Special Australian Correapoiuient.) (Received October 19, 8.30 p.m.) SYDNEY, October 19. ■ The Japanese have attempted to transport reinforcements by barge into the Finschliafen area of northern New Guinea. The town of Finschliafen fell to the Australians recently, but now sharp fighting is developing again. The Japanese still have strong forces at Satelberg, about six miles northwest of Finschliafen, ami on Saturday morning they launched an attack from this ai’6a, but were repulsed. Early yesterday morning three barges attempted to land enemy troops at the mouth of the Sono River, four miles north of Finschliafen, and at about the same time the enemy force at Satelberg launched a further attack. This attack was repulsed. Two barges were disabled, and the third fled to the north. The Japanese left 37 dead on the beach, and another 30 troops escaped, but are being mopped up. The fighting continues. In three days 147 Japanese plaues have been destroyed in the south-west Pacific area and an additional 49 have been probably destroyed. General MacArthur s communique today reports the destruction of 43 enemy aircraft in New Guinea, with six others probably destroyed. Of these, 24 were shot down yesterday when 35 enemy fighters tried to raid Allied shipping at Oro Bay, and the remaining 19 were additional planes destroyed in Saturday’s Allied attack on Wcwak. Allied Shipping Undamaged. The Japanese raid on Oro Bay was their second in three days. These two raids have cost, tile enemy 70 pintles (20 bombers and 44 fighters) destroyed and 17 probably destroyed. No damage has beeu done to our shipping. Enemy fighters which attempted a strafing attack yesterday were able to come no lower than 17,000 feel, from which altitude strafing was impossible. Lightnings shot down 13 of the planes, witli six others probably destroyed, while Kittyliawks destroyed one. Then 12 Japanese lighters, fleeing from the buttle, were overtaken by other Lightnings and 10 more were destroyed. Four Allied fighters were lost, but one pilot is safe. ~ ~, , In Saturday’s Allied raid on Wewak the enemy’s losses were higher than was at first reported. It is now revealed that a formation of Mitchell medium bombers destroyed 15 additional enemy aircraft on the ground and shot down four interceptors. At least a dozen Allied pilots are expected to emerge from Friday’s and Saturday’s heavy air actions as new Southwest Pacific aces, with live confirmed “kills.” The number of definite combat kills, 61 Japanese fighters and 31 bombers, recorded yesterday was easily the largest in any of the 55:j communiques issued to date from South-west Pacific headquarters. . , T,‘ The 64 Japanese planes lost in the Bismarck Sea battle last March was the greatest number of enemy aircraft previously shot down in combat in this area. New Allied Target. Lockheed Lightning and Thunderbolt fighters were mainly responsible for the decisive smashing of the latest Japanese challenge to Allied nir power in the southern Pacific. They accounted for 20 enemy bombers and 52 fighters as well as a further 21 aircraft probably destroyed. General MacArthur’s communique today reports the first Allied air attack on the important Japanese shipping base of Ternate, in the Ilalmaliera Island group north-west of Dutch New Guinea. This is the chief port for inter-island shipping between tho Philippines, tho Netherlands East Indies and New/Guinea.. Liberators made a round trip of 2009 miles to fulfil tho mission, and the pilots report having left the area in flames* with considerable destruction in the town proper.

Near Rabaul one of our heavy reconnaissance units sank an enemy submarine chaser with four direct hits by 501 b, bombs. „ Near Kavieng a 7QOO-ton cargo ship was also damaged by bombing. At Buin, on Bougainville Island, Admiral Halsey s bombers destroyed a small coastal vessel and troop-laden barge.

Permanent link to this item
Hononga pūmau ki tēnei tūemi

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/DOM19431020.2.40

Bibliographic details
Ngā taipitopito pukapuka

Dominion, Volume 37, Issue 21, 20 October 1943, Page 5

Word count
Tapeke kupu
637

SHARP FIGHTING Dominion, Volume 37, Issue 21, 20 October 1943, Page 5

SHARP FIGHTING Dominion, Volume 37, Issue 21, 20 October 1943, Page 5

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