PROGRESSING WELL

Wairarapa Times-Age, 3 August 1943, Page 3

PROGRESSING WELL

OFFENSIVE IN PACIFIC GENERAL MACARTHUR'S REVIEW. SOLOMONS’ & NEW GUINEA CAMPAIGNS. (By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright) SYDNEY, August 2. “The campaign is progressing satisfactorily,” said General MacArthur when reviewing the achievements of the Allied land, sea, and air forces since the beginning of the present Pacific offensive on June 30. “.In the Solomons, Hie garrison at Munda has been invested and its supplies cut . to the very bone. The ceaseless pounding of and the constant pressure against the enemy are contijuiing. ” The initial offensive moves were launched against five points. On June 30 Allied landings were made on Rendova and New Georgia in the Solomons, and at Nassau Bay, and on Woodlark Island, and the Trobriand Islands on the New Guinea area. Since that time the following results have been achieved: —

New Georgia, Rendova and Vangunu Islands are in Allied hands. An airstrip is under construction at Viru.

Allied forces have moved to within about a mile of Munda, while Bairoko is'also being invested.

In the New Guinea area our forces have completed the occupation of the Trobriands and Woodlark Island, and airstrips are under construction. American forces which landed as Nassau Bay have advanced eight miles toward Salamaua; while Australian forces from the Mubo area have advanced six miles. NEW RECORDS DESTRUCTION OF JAPANESE SHIPS & PLANES. EXPANSION OF ALLIED AIR ATTACKS. (Special Australian Correspondent.) SYDNEY, August 2. More bombs were dropped on the Japanese in the Pacific during July than in any previous month. All records for the destruction of enemy ships and aircraft in this theatre of war were surpassed. The comparative Allied losses were light.

The Japanese lest 436 planes, 31 naval and cargo ships, and 76 supply barges during the month. Four more naval ships and 35 planes were probably destroyed. The Allied losses were three naval ships and 120 planes. Only 19 of the. Allied planes were bombers. The 436 planes confirmed shot down represent the bulk of Japan’s full monthly production rate of aircraft for all fronts. The diminishing intensity of the enemy’s air counter-attacks in the Solomons and the absence of raids on Darwin suggest that these losses have made a substantial bite into the Japanese bomber reserves.

The Japanese naval craft sunk include three cruisers and 15 destroyers. The Allied naval losses were one cruiser and two destroyers. Most of these combat losses were inflicted in New Georgia, in the central Solomons area.

Motor torpedo-boats took an “uncountable toll”' of Japanese barges, which are now the enemy’s stable means of supply in both the Solomons and New Guinea battle areas. In addition to the 76 destroyed in July, scores were damaged and probably destroyed . These barges, which are up to 60ft. long, are well-engined and carry armaments heavy enough to make them dangerous to aircraft and light naval vessels. About 1800 tons of bombs has been dropped by American, aircraft on the New Georgia group, including 78 tons on Munda and 250 tons on Bairoko. One report states that following this intense aerial as well as naval bombardment “nothing is left of Munda airfield but bomb holes.” The American Air Force shot down 388 enemy aircraft over the Solomons. The relative loss is about one in four.

In New Guinea, General MacArthur’s bombers dropped about 1000 tons of high explosives on the Salamaua area. Our artillery has also been active, and Australian gunners are reported to have fired 30 tons of shells in the three days preceding the capture of Boisi village on Tambu Bay. This was the heaviest artillery fire ever laid down in New Guinea, and the shelling by Australian 25-pounders had a most important bearing on the final capture of the Japanese positions. Bad weather in the New Guinea and Solomons combat zones is believed to have been responsible for a lull in the Pacific air war. It is disclosed in General MacArthur’s communique today that at Munda, New Georgia, American torpedo and dive-bombers, with a fighter escort, attacked Japanese gun positions and dump areas, dropping 27 tons of bombs and scoring many direct hits.