RAIDS ON WAU

Wairarapa Times-Age, 20 May 1943, Page 3

RAIDS ON WAU

LITTLE DAMAGE DONE BV JAPANESE *' ATTEMPT TO DISRUPT SUPPLY “ TO MUBO. ALLIES ATTACK RABAUL. & GASMATA. (By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright) SYDNEY, May 19. The Japanese continued their air attacks against the Allied aerodrome at Wau, in northern New Guinea, yesterday with a raid by 25 Zeros, some of which carried bombs This followed Monday’s raid by 43 planes. The attacks appear to be designed to disrupt the passage of supplies to the Australian troops fighting in the Mubo area. Only 10 bombs were dropped in, tthe latest raid, but the Zeros then came down from 15,000 to 50ft. to strafe the airfield. The damage was slight and there were no casualties. Allied air activity yesterday was mostly on a small scale. It encompassed the enemy bases of Kavieng (New Ireland), Lorengau (Admiralty Islands) Rabaul, Arawe, Gasmata and Cape Gloucester, (New Britain) and Finschhafen and Lae (New Guinea). Catalinas and Beauforts made the attack on Gasmata aerodrome, while the only other heavy raid was an attack before dawn on Rabaul’s Vunakanau aerodrome where fires were started. An encounter near Kavieng (New Ireland) resulted in a Liberator on reconnaissance shooting down one of two enemy floatplanes over Stetten Strait, which separates New Hanover from New Ireland.