RAIN OF BOMBS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 29 May 1943, Page 3

RAIN OF BOMBS

POURED DOWN ON, LAE

HEAVIEST ALLIED AIR ATTACK TO DATE.

BIG EXPLOSIONS & MAN? FIRES

(By Telegraph—Press Association —Copyright) SYDNEY, May 28.

The heaviest Allied air attack of the war on Japan’s New Guinea base of Lae is reported in General MacArthur’s communique today. For more than an hour on Thursday morning Liberators and Mitchell medium bombers rained high-explosive, incendiary and anti-persbiinel bombs on aerodromes, dispersal areas, supply installations and the Labu lagoon area.

Twenty-eight tons of bombs, some of them 2000 pounders, were dropped on Lae. Long-range Beaufighters which accompanied the bombers fired 12,000 rounds of cannon and machine-gun ammunition against troops, buildings and anti-aircraft positions. The bad weather which recently interfered with our air activity in this sector has apparently allowed the Japanese to sneak in supplies. Labu lagoon is a favouritte dispersal area for enemy barges. One Beaufighter strafing supply dumps in this area was brought down by anti-aircraft fire which was intense.

Big explosions and numerous fires were caused by the raid. Fires were visible for 75 miles The Madang and Finschhaten areas were also attacked. General MacArthur’s communique reports a raid by 31 Japanese bombers and fighters on the Mambara —Morobe areas, to which Allied troops recently penetrated. The enemy formation broke up and bombed and strafed several objectives in the area. Douglas harbour, which had been twice previously raided, was attacked by eight aircraft. The damage was slight. NEGRO WAR REPORTERS ARRIVAL AT MACARTHUR’S HEADQUARTERS. (By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright) SYDNEY,. May 28. Two American negro war correspondents have arrived at General MacArthur's headquarters to report the South-West Pacific war for a section of the large negro Press in the United States. They are Vincent Tubbs, Afro-American Nev/spapers. Baltimore, and Fletcher Martin, Defender Newspapers, published in Louisville and Chicago. Foul - negro correspondents have beep assigned to the war in North Africa on behalf cf the American negro Press, which embraces more than 100 newspapers.