IN GUADALCANAR.

Wairarapa Times-Age, 19 October 1942, Page 4

IN GUADALCANAR.

JAPANESE MASSING TROOPS & EQUIPMENT

ATTACK ON AIRFIELD ANTICIPATED.

ENEMY DESTROYERS DISABLED NEAR KISKA. LONDON, October 18. On Guadalcanal’ the Japanese apparently are massing troops and equipment for a strong assault on the Ame-rican-held airfield in the north of the island.

Twb Japanese destroyers have been put out of action north-west of Kiska, where the Japanese have landed reinforcements. GREAT ACTIVITY BY FORCES ON BOTH SIDES. HEAVY TOLL TAKEN OF ENEMY PLANES. Great activity by both sides in the Guadalcanal’ area is reported in a United States Navy communique. ‘'The Japanese,” it states, “are continuing to bomb our airfield and shore positions on Guadalcanal - and it is believed that enemy troops and equipment are being disposed for a strong assault against the airfield. There have been no reports of enemy landings on Guadalcanal’ since October 15, but heavy concentrations of enemy ships are still reported off the BuinShortland area.

“On October 16 Flying Fortresses and Marine Corps aircraft repeatedly attacked enemy troops and equipment assembled in force m the north-west part of Guadalcanal - . Early on the morning of October 17, fourteen enemy bombers, escorted by eight fighters, attacked our airfield and shore positions. Our fighters and 'bombers reported the destruction of all the enemy bombers and two of the fighters. In the afternoon another group of about fifteen enemy bombers and a numbers of fighters carried out a second raid on our positions. One enemy bomber was probably destroyed and one of our planes is missing. “Army bombers on October 16 carried out low-altitude attacks on two Japanese destroyers off Kiska. The attack lasted for 45 minutes and resulted in five hits on one destroyer and four on the other. Heavy explosions and fires resulted. When last seen both ships were burning and the crews had abandoned them. We lost one bomber.