15 JAP AREAS

Grey River Argus, 31 May 1943, Page 5

15 JAP AREAS

VISITED ON SATURDAY By Allied Bombers [Aust. & N.Z. Cable Assn.] (Rec. 8.30) SYDNEY, May 30. After earlier adverse weather naa hindered aerial operations throughout the South-west Pacific. General MacArthur’s reconnaissance aircrail on Saturday ranged over a wide area. Attacks on fifteen enemy-oc-cupied areas are reported in the latest communique. Single bombers raided targets from Timor, to New Britain. A few raids were on a heavier scale. These included attacks against the town area oi Dim and Penfoei aerodrome, at Koepang, on Timor Island, where fires were started Another bigger raid was on Madang, north New Guinea coast, w men was also attacked in strength last Wednesday. In the latest raid on the aerodrome the heavy ( bombers started fires in a dispersal area. In Hansa Bay, midway between Madang and Wewak, an Allied heavy bomber scored two close misses against the bow a 5000-ton Japanese transport, leaving it smoking. Two or four Zeros were shot down by an earlier reconnaissance bomber in the same area. Alexishafen and Saidor, along the coast were bombed and strafed. North of Australia, in the Banda Sea an Allied reconnaissance unit, attacked a thousand-ton Japanese cargo ship towing six barges. Gen. MacArthur’s communique reports that “damaging near misses were scored with 500-lb bombs, and the entire flotilla was strafed.” In the western New Guinea area Allied reconnaissance aircraft on Saturday raided Timika, Nabire and Babo.

In the Banda Sea, Namlea, Baru Island; Bima, Waingapu, Sumba and Rambang Lombok were among enemy occupied areas attacked by single Allied bombers. No Japanese offensive activity in the South-west Pacific on Saturday is ;