Rabaul Ghastly and Terrific Scene

Manawatu Times, Volume 69, Issue 58, 11 March 1944, Page 5

Rabaul Ghastly and Terrific Scene

Jap Depression Over Lack of Planes (By Tel egraph—Press Assn.—Copyright.) Received Friday, 10.50 p.m. NEW YORK, March 10. “Rabaul has become a ghastly and terrific scene with insufficient planes to ward off the constant rain of bombs day and night,” said a Japanese army correspondent quoted by the Tokio official radio in a home broadcast. He added: “We feel we do not care what happens. Our lack of planes allows enemy aircraft to move freely. One hero told me: ‘I often think perhaps there are no more planes left in Japan and I worry greatly.’ ” The correspondent said convoys attempting to bring suplies meet with devastating attacks from the Allies’ planes. American Advances On New Britain

MORE DEVASTATION ON NEW GUINEA AIRFIELDS (Special Australian Correspondent.) Received Friday, 10.45 p.m. SYDNEY, March 10. The American Marines on Willaumez Peninsula (Northern New Britain) are within two miles of the strategically important Japanese airfield at Talasea. The field is within 170 air miles of Rabaul. The Americans landed on the peninsula last week. They are continuing to advance despite strong enemy resistance. Already many Japanese dead have been counted. Allied air units are cooperating with the ground forces and on Tuesday bombed Talasea, destroying buildings and starting fires. In the Admiralty Group the Americans on Los Negros Island are further expanding their positions around the perimeter of Momote airfield. Our naval and supply ships have entered Seeadler harbour without interference. Seeadler is sheltered on the east by Los Negros Island and on the south and west by Manus Island. Mitchell medium bombers have again attacked targets on Manus, chiefly at the main enemy base of Lorengau. It is officially revealed that the original United States landing force in the Admiralties comprised only 1000 troops. They were men of the First Cavalry Division (Dismounted) which was developed from the Fifth Regiment formed in 1855 and first commanded by General Robert Lee. Photographic reconnaissance over the much-bombed base of Rabaul reveals that there are fewer than 50 aircraft on the aerodromes there and that save for the usual barge concentrations and harbour craft there is now no undamaged shipping in the harbour. Five parked planes were destroyed in the latest raia on Rabaul when our Solomons-based aircraft dropped 56 tons of bombs on the township and on the Lakunai and Tobera aerodromes. In New Guinea the Allied air forces have made a heavy strike against the Japanese aerodromes around Wewak. When Liberators dropped 56 tons oi bombs on the Awar and Nubia airfields they were intercepted by 40 Japanese fighters. Our escorting fighters suffering only light losses, shot down 17 enemy machines with ten others which were probably destroyed.