POWERFUL ATTACK

Wairarapa Times-Age, 22 June 1942, Page 3

POWERFUL ATTACK

MADE ON JAPANESE AT RABAUL DIRECT HITS ON TRANSPORT & WAR VESSELS. AERODROME ALSO BOMBED. (By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright) SYDNEY, June 21. One of the biggest Allied bomber forces ever employed in the south-west Pacific area attacked Rabaul on Friday. It found a con- . slderable concentration of Japanese shipping at anchor, with only small fighter-plane protection.. Three direct hits were scored on a 10,000-ton transport and war vessels in the harbour were probably damaged. It is understood that the quantity of shipping in the harbour was not of invasion strength, but sufficient to indicate that the Japanese had received substantial reinforcements, probably of both men and supplies. Our bombers also attacked Vunakanau aerodrome, near Rabaul, where bombs were dropped among enemy grounded aircraft. One intercepting Zero fighter was certainly destroyed and another probably destroyed. All our planes returned safely. This was the sixth Allied attack on Rabaul in the past two weeks. The latest raid was made a few days after the Japanese renewed their attacks ,on Port Moresby. The aim of the heavy Allied attacks on Rabaul is undoubtedly to neutralise this main enemy base, thus increasing the difficulties of the attacks on Port Moresby. NIGHT OPERATIONS DAMAGE DONE AT RABAUL & LAE. (British Official Wireless.) RUGBY, June 21. Today’s South-West Pacific communique states that Allied bombers hit the enemy wharf and installations in a successful night attack on Rabaul. Allied airmen bombed the aerodrome at Lae destroying two enemy bombers on the ground. Interception by Zeros proved ineffective.