PERSISTENT ATTACKS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 22 May 1943, Page 3

PERSISTENT ATTACKS

ON GASMATA & RABAUL AERODROMES MADE BY ALLIED HEAVY BOMBERS. SMALL-SCALE ENEMY RAIDS. (By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright) SYDNEY, May 20. Small-scale Japanese air raids on four Allied bases in New Guinea were reported in General MacArthur’s communique today. A total of 21 enemy aircraft was employed in harassing attacks on Port Moresby, Milne Bay, Dobodura and Douglas Harbour. Three of the raids were made under cover of darkness. The strongest attack was a raid at noon by 12 aircraft on the Douglas Harbour area, which was also attacked dh the previous day. A 12-ton supply lugger was burnt and beached, and another small vessel was slightly damaged. We also suffered light casualties. Two raids, making a total of 16 against Dobodura, were made by single plains on Wednesday night. Fifteen light bombs were dropped, causing minor damage. Four enemy planes dropped 10 bombs .in the Milne Bay area in • the same evening, causing no casualties but setting fire to a small dump. Three Japanese planes raided Port Moresby, dropping six bombs harmlessly in the bush. Allied Liberator and Flying Fortress bombers in two formations made a raid before dawn yesterday on the Vunakanau aerodrome and Keravia Bay, to the south-west of the Japanese base of Rabaul. They dropped 18 tons of •■daisy-cutter” and incendiary bombs, and started many fires in the dispersal area. According to today’s communique, these may have been burning aircraft. Three raids were made by Liberators on the Gasmata aerodrome, which had already been rendered unserviceable by previous attacks.

The persistent Allied attacks against the Rabaul and Gasmata aerodromes may be intended as a precaution against an intensification of the enemy air raids on our New Guinea bases. Since the Lae and Salamaua airfields have been rendered useless by our incessant bombing, Gasmata has become an important refuelling and possible assembly point. Rabaul, of course, is the enemy’s main air as well as supply base in the north-eastern sector of the South-west Pacific area. JAPANESE LOSSES f TWO BOMBERS SHOT DOWN AT GUADALCANAL. LONDON, May 21. In the Solomons two Japanese bombers out of eight which tried to raid Guadalcanal on Tuesday night were shot down.