Naval and Air Bombardment Of Rabaul

Manawatu Times, Volume 69, Issue 54, 7 March 1944, Page 5

Naval and Air Bombardment Of Rabaul

(By Telegraph—Press Assn.—Copyright.) (.‘.-pedal Australian Correspondent.) Received Monday 11.0 p.m. SYDNEY, March 6. The final mopplng-up operations in the Los Negi'os battle area (Admiralty Islands) are now in progress. The victorious American ground forces are being strengthened by the arrival of ad ditional supplies and reinforcements, while Allied naval and air forces are bombarding Japanese installations to the rear of the fighting zone. It is expected, however, that the Japanese, imdeterred by their costly reverse last Friday night, will attempt another stand on Los Negros. They will probably try to bring further strength from Manus Island just nine miles from Los Negros. At low tide the passage between the two islands can be n-ade on a skidway normally used for the hauiage of boats. There have been indications of Japanese troop movements around Lorengau, the main enemy base on Manus xsland. The Americans are driving to secure the possession of the entire Admiralty group and hard lighting is likely before chat purpose is accomplished. Continued neavy blows by the Allied air forces explain the absence of Japanese aerial opposition over tho Admiralty Islands. The strikes reported by General MacArthur’*? communique to-day included all the main enemy airfields in New Britain and New Guinea. Liberators made the heaviest raid yet recorded on Hollandia, now tho chief Japanese base in New Guinea. They dropped 34 tons of bombs on. three airfields in the area of Hollandia, Cyclops and Sentani. At Wewak 16 parked Japanese aircraft were destroyed when other Liberators attacked the But aerodrome on Saturday morning. The waterfront area at Rabaul (New Britain) has been hit with a further 164 tons of explosives. The accompanying Allied fighters destroyed or damaged 14 barges and harbour craft. No enemy fighters came up to oppose the attack on Rabaul, but in a fighter sweep along the neighbouring New Britain coast we shot down one of eight intercepting Zeros. Allied ground patrols on the Rai coast of New Guinea are reported to have advanced to Herwarth Point, west of Saidor. A flotilla of United States destroyer* last Wednesday shelled the Japanese base of Rabaul at pointblank range. The warships actually penetrated inside Simpson harbour. An American motor patrol boat had earlier entered the harbour in daylight and left without being attacked. This is reported from Admiral Halsey’s Headquarters where it is revealed that the destroyers crept into Simpson harbour just before midnight on Tuesday, when rain hid them from the Japanese.