LIGHT ALLIED LOSSES

Wairarapa Times-Age, 6 July 1943, Page 3

LIGHT ALLIED LOSSES

IN ATTACK ON VIRU HARBOUR MACARTHUR’S COMMUNIQUE. DESTRUCTION OF JAPANESE AIRCRAFT. (By Telegraph—Press Association —Copyright) SYDNEY, July 5. The latest developments in the operations in the Solomon Islands area are reported in General MacArthur’s communique today. The communique in this section states: —

“Viru Harbour: Patrols are engeged in rounding up enemy stragglers. Our casualties in the operations against this enemy base were light, totalling 33, including wounded and missing. “Munda: Our torpedo bombers and dive-bombers attacked enemy bovouac areas at Lambeti plantation with 10001 b. and 20001 b. bombs. Our heavy units bombed an enemy outpost at Bairoko Harbour. All the planes returend to the base.

“Vangunu Island: Our forces at Wickham Anchorage have taken the enemy-held village of Vura, killing 300 and scattering the remainder of the garrison. Our losses were relatively light. r “Rendova: Eighteen enemy bombers, escorted by 20 fighters, attempting to attack our ground positions, were intercepted and dispersed by our fighter cover. Five enemy bombers ..and four fighters were shot down without loss to us. Anti-aircraft defences shot down 12 enemy bombers during a 30minute attack by 16 escorted medium bombers.’’