WEWAK AIR BASE

Wairarapa Times-Age, 2 September 1943, Page 4

WEWAK AIR BASE

ABANDONED BV JAPANESE UNDER RELENTLESS ALLIED BOMBING. ENEMY POSITION IN NEW GUINEA MUCH WEAKENED. i ‘ (By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright) (Received This Day, 12.40 p.m.) SYDNEY, This Day. Relentless Allied bombing has forced the Japanese to abandon Wewak as their main air base in New Guinea. Enemy bombers and fighters have been forced back to Hollandia, on the far north coast of Dutch New Guinea and to areas even farther' in the rear. The great range from Hollandia makes impossible effective air support to the Japanese garrisons in forward areas. The Allied campaign to destroy ■'Wewak as a main «air base came to a climax with the destruction of at least' 20 grounded enemy aircraft on the Dagua airstrip. In two days the JapanI ese lost 45 planes destroyed, 17 probably destroyed and 17 damaged. The destruction of stores and supplies, possibly even more than the loss of more than 300 planes in the Wewak area, prompted the Japanese to withdraw their air strength to Hollandia. The Japanese grip on advanced New Guinea, fronts has been dangerously weakened by the reduction of Wewak to a locality of little importance. The elimination of Wewak also constitutes the first major bulge in the Japanese’ bomber line extending from Timor to New Britain. In the Salamaua area of New Guinea, where there has been sharp fighting, the positions to which the Allied troops were forced to fall back have now been stabilised and in some areas we are advancing again. Reports 'indicate that the American forces which landed on Arundel Island, between New Georgia and Kolombangara, are advancing unopposed across the island. ”