PACKED WITH TROOPS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 10 August 1943, Page 3

PACKED WITH TROOPS

ENEMY WARSHIPS SUNK IN SOLOMONS

NO LOSSES IN AMERICAN ATTACKING FORCE. ANOTHER JAPANESE CONVOY BOMBED. (Bv Telegraph—Press Association —Copyright, SYDNEY, August 9. The enemy warships sunk in Vella Gull' on b’riday are revealed to have bceir packed with troops. Alosf of these must have lost their lives. The American ships were unmarked and did not suiter a casualtv. They remained in the gull several hours after the action, rescuing Japanese survivors.

The battle, which was fought within sight of the enemy shore garrisons, again demonstrated the completeness of American naval superiority. The Japanese warships carrying reinforcements are believed to have come from Rabaul. w Pilots of Allied aircraft on night patrol watched the action. They saw the enemy cruiser burst into flames that quickly spread to the magazines. Heavy explosions tore the warship as she lay helpless in a sea of blazing oil. The flames spreading over the water illuminated the three accompanying enemy destroyers and shells were poured into them. BOMBERS SWEEP NORTH. Maintaining the Allied attacks against Japanese naval and supply units, Liberator bombers from south Pacific bases yesterday flew half-way to the great enemy base of Truk in the Caroline Islands to bomb another convoy. It is the most northerly penetration yet made by our bombers in the southern Pacific. Truk is about 800 miles north of the central Solomons. The convoy was sighted west of Greenwich Island, and about 300 miles northeast of Kavieng. New Ireland. ‘The Liberators attacked an 3500-ton freighter,' a transport, a second cargo vessel and a destroyer. The results were not observed.

Sixty-three tons of bombs, many of them 'lOOO and 2000-pounders, have been dropped on the enemy base of Vila, Kolombangara Island, in sustained daylight attacks. Avengers and Corsairs attacked Vila town gun positions, supply dumps and barracks during the morning, and in the afternoon other bombers with a strong fighter escort attacked Kape Harbour, lhe naval depot 19 miles north-east of Vila.

Adverse weather yesterday hampered all air operations in the South-West Pacific area.

RUSH JOB AT MUNDA.

American construction battalions are already rushing the rebuilding of Munda, which is being enlarged to accommodate all types of aircraft. In a few days heavy bombers with fighter escort will be able to operate as far as Rabaul. This is reported by an Australian war correspondent in the Solomons. The work of repairing Munda airfield, he says, is proceeding without interruption. The area around the airfield is free of Japanese, though enemy groups are being mopped up along the north-west coast of Georgia as far as Bairoko.

The Japanese are reported to be reinforcing their garrisons at Vellalavella and Kolombangara in preparation for what may be Admiral Halsey’s next moves.