AIR OFFENSIVE

Wairarapa Times-Age, 22 January 1943, Page 3

AIR OFFENSIVE

IN SOUTH-WEST PACIFIC DEVELOPING ON GREAT SCALE. ALONG ARC FROM TIMOR TO SOLOMONS. (By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright) SYDNEY. January 21. Allied bombers are pounding the Japanese bases across a wide arc from Timor to the northern Solomons. The raids during the past fortnight represent the greatest sustained air offensive that has ever been launched in the South-west Pacific. Today’s communique from General MacArthur’s headquarters reports bombing attacks on 10 separate points in Australia’s near north, while American aircraft from Guadalcanal have been raiding the Japanese-occupied islands in the Solomons. These latter blows are widely believed to have been delivered to hamper an expected Japanese thrust against Guadalcanal JAPANESE SHIPS ATTACKED BY AMERICAN BOMBERS. EIGHT ENEMY FIGHTERS SHOT DOWN. LONDON, January 21. Widespread Allied air raids are reported in the Solomons. On Tuesday, American planes hammered the Japanese positions on Munda, in New Georgia. On Wednesday, Flying Fortresses carried out a dawn attack on an enemy destroyer off the most easterly tip of Bougainville Island. Pilots claimed that they hit the destroyer. Other Flying Fortresses attacked a small enemy convoy near Shortland Island. In this action, eight enemy fighters were shot down for the loss of one American fighter. This morning, American bombers renewed their attacks on Munda. ON GUADALCANAL ARMY OFFICER TAKES OVER COMMAND. (Received This Day, 10.40 a.m.) WASHINGTON, January 21. Major-General Alexander Patch, of the United States Army, has recently assumed command of the United States forces on Guadalcanal. General Patch has relieved Major-General Vandergrift, who had commanded since the initial occupation of Guadalcanal by the Marine Corps in August last. Most of the members of the Marine Corps who made the original landing onGuadalcanal have been replaced by Army personnel. Another message states that although the strength of American Army units on Guadalcanal has been increased, a| considerable Marine Corps force also remains there.