NAURU & GILBERTS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 1 May 1943, Page 3

NAURU & GILBERTS

ATTACKED BY AMERICAN HEAVY BOMBERS PHOSPHATE WORKS SEVERELY DAMAGED. STRATEGIC IMPLICATIONS. (By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright) WASHINGTON, April 30. Striking twice in 36 hours, American Liberator bombers have severely damaged an important phosphate works and aerodrome areas in the outlying Japanese base of Nauru Island and also Tarawa (Gilbert Islands), writes an Associated Press correspondent with an American Army task force in the central Pacific. This, he says is a foretaste of the industrial destruction that awaits Japan proper. The flatest phase of the growing bombing offensive in the central Pacific involved one of the Inogest .aerial task-force missions of the war. Nauru Island, whicn is 750 miles north-east of Guadalcanal, is reported to have suffered on April 21 a daylight assault unprecedented in this theatre. Tarawa was raided just before dawn. Both missions were led personally by Major-General Willis Hald, commander of the United States Seventh Air Force. He described the operations as extremely successful. The raid on Tarawa may be a prelude to an attempt to drive the Japanese out of the Gilberts, according to the Washington correspondent of the Associated Press. He says that the raid is regarded by Washington authorities as particularly significant because of its relation to the other recent events in this area. “Tarawa’s triangular reef lies athwart short-cut routes for American supplies,” he adds. “Any movement to drive the Japanese from the Gilberts would transfer strategic advantages which are now possessed by the Japanese to the American forces, shortening and strengthening the American supply lines. “For several weeks there has been a series of manoeuvres, indicating that the American strategy might be developing toward fulfilment of these purposes.” OTHER RAIDS ON TIMOR & AMBOINA. SYDNEY, April 30. The Japanese seaplane base at Halong, Amboina, 580 miles north of Darwin, has been heavily attacked by Liberator bombers. Explosions and fires were caused among the hangars and barracks. Fifteen Zeros made an unsuccessful attempt at interception. Two were probably destroyed and a third damaged. All our bombers returned safely. The raid is reported in General MacArthuFs communique today. Medium bombers on Thursday attacked Koepang in Timor, 500 miles north-west of Darwin, starting numcrour fires in the town area. The only other attacks recorded in today’s communique were made by single aircraft on armed reconnaissance. A Japanese lugger was left sinking after being attacked by a medium bomber off Jamdena Island in the Tenimber group, 300 miles north of Darwin. Fires were started in the enemy occupied village of Koleseer in the Kai Islands, 500 miles north-east of Darwin. A heavy bomber, making a reconnaissance sweep along the north New Guinea coast, bombed the Medang, Saidor and Finshhafen areas. About 120 miles separates these three centres of Japanese activity. JAPANESE FUGITIVES VAIN ATTEMPT TO ESCAPE FROM GUADALCANAL. PARTY OF NINE WIPED OUT. (British Official Wireless.) (Received This Day, 10.15 a.m.) RUGBY, April 30. The United States Navy Department states: “In the South Pacific on Wednesday a Japanese patrol, consisting of one officer and eight men, attempted to escape from Guadalcanal, but were intercepted and wiped out by United States troops in the vicinity of Beaufort Bay. “On Thursday Flying Fortresses bombed Japanese-held Kahili. Poor visibility prevented an observation of the results. Avenger torpedo-bombers and Dauntless dive-bombers, escorted by Lightning and Corsair fighters, bombed Japanese installations at Katere, on the south-west coast of Kolombangara Island. Anti-aircraft positions and a pier were destroyed. Avenger torpedo-bombers and Dauntless dive-bombers, with a Lightning and Corsair escort, attacked Teli, two miles north-west of Katere and a fire was started. Avenger and Dauntless planes, supported by Wildcat fighters, attacked Japanese positions at Munda. Hits were scored on a runway revetment and anti-aircraft gun positions. All the United States planes returned from these attacks.”