JAPANESE BASES

Wairarapa Times-Age, 23 February 1943, Page 3

JAPANESE BASES

HEAVILY ATTACKED BY ALLIED BOMBERS FOURTH SUCCESSIVE NIGHT. CONSIDERABLE DAMAGE DONE. (Special Australian Correspondent.) SYDNEY, February 22. The Japanese airfields and naval bases at the eastern ends of their defensive arc north of Australia have again been heavily attacked by General MacArthur’s bombers. Yesterday, for the fourth successive night, Catalinas raided the enemy aerodromes in the Buin-Faisi area in the northern Solomons, and at noon yesterday Liberators struck at enemy shipping and shore installations at Ambon, 57 miles north of Darwin. From both raids, which were made in considerable strength, all the planes returned. For the first time since General Horii’s army was annihilated in Papua Japanese aircraft have attacked the Buna area. Two nuisance raids, causing neither damage nor casualties, were made on Saturday night. Last night two planes made the 18th Japanese attack on the Milne Bay area, but their bombs fell harmlessly in the bush. In marked contrast to these ineffectual activities were the Catalina’s attacks. Buin is on the southern tip of Bougainville Island, and Faisi is a tiny island in the Shortland Group, 25 miles away. The aerodromes at these two points provide land-based fighter protection for the shipping in the waterways between the islands, which have been used extensively by Japanese convoys and naval concentrations. The enemy bombers which raid Guadalcanal also set out from these bases. The Catalinas attacked in two waves, dropping 5001 b. high-explosive -and fragmentation bombs. Large fires were started in aircraft dispersal bays on Ballale aerodrome, which is situated on an islet north of Shortland Island and about 15 miles from Buin. Ballale has been developed both as an aeroplane and seaplane base. At Kahili aerodrome, near Buin, at least two of a number of grounded aircraft were destroyed, and direct hits on fuel dumps are believed to have been the cause of a huge blaze, which was visible for 50 miles. The main hangar was demolished and other damage was done to the building area. Anti-air-craft fire was intense, but there was no fighter opposition. Our Liberators in their daylight raid on Ambon were intercepted by six Zeros. Two enemy fighters were shot down and two more were probably destroyed. Heavy clouds prevented observation of the results of the attacks on shipping and shore targets. In the Mubo area, in New Guinea, where ground patrol activity continues, two waves of Havocs bombed and strafed villages and trails. “Not more than one or two huts are left in the village of Waitali,” said the Allied headquarters spokesman, commenting on the highly successful sweep. MUNDA AGAIN RAID BY U.S.A. PLANES. LONDON, February 22. In the Pacific American bombers made another raid yesterday on the Japanese positions at Munda, in New Georgia Island. One escort fighter failed to return.