BIG CONCENTRATION

Wairarapa Times-Age, 15 June 1943, Page 3

BIG CONCENTRATION

OF JAPANESE AIRCRAFT ROUND RABAUL IN SPITE OF HEAVY BOMBING BY ALLIES. INEFFECTICE ENEMY RAIDS ON NEW GUINEA. (Special Australian Correspondent.) SYDNEY, June 14. hi spite of the heavy pounding of Rabaul’s aerodromes, the Japanese continue to concentrate powerful air forces there. In three raids made in the past four days, General MacArthur’s bombers have dropped 89 tons of bombs among grounded aircraft. But reconnaissance photographs yesterday showed a total of 261 planes on the three aerodromes at this key enemy base. They included medium bombers, fighters and float-planes. Flying Fortresses and Liberators made the latest raid early yesterday morning. Today’s communique from the South-West Pacific headquarters reports: “Our heavy bombers attacked Vunakanau aerodrome in a two-hour night raid, dropping nearly 30 tons of explosives and incendiaries on the runways and dispersal areas and among grounded planes. Numerous large fires were started which were visible for 50 miles. Searchlight and anti-aircraft defences were active. We had no losses.” Subsequent aerial photographs revealed the dispersal of enemy air strength round Rabaul as follows: L-ak-unai, 144 planes, including light bombers, medium bombers, single-seater fighters and transports; Rapopo, 31 planes, comprising medium and light bombers; Vunakanau, 86 planes, comprising medium bombers and singleseater fighters. This is one of the largest assemblages of planes ever observed by Allied reconnaissance over Rabaul.. General MacArthur's communique today also reports Allied attacks on Gasmata, in. New Britain, Lae and Komiatum in New Guinea, and Dilli and Koepang in Timor. At least 50 buildings were destroyed in Koepang by the heavy Allied raids on June 5 and'll. This is shown by an analysis of air photographs taken after the raids. Mitchell medium bombers have now set fire to a further portion pf the town. At Gasmata, a Flying Fortress* destroyed a grounded enemy bomber. Boston attack planes made 38 strafing passes over Japanese positions at Komiatum, in addition to dropping bombs. Small-scale raids on Port Moresby and Gona have been made by enemy planes. Three aircraft were over Gona on Saturday night. This was the first occasion the Japanese Air Force has attacked the area since their troops were driven out of Papua. They did no damage. Four medium bombers raided Port Moresby early last night, dropping six bombs harmlessly in the bush. This was Port Moresby's 111th raid.