HEAVY TOLL

Wairarapa Times-Age, 16 October 1943, Page 3

HEAVY TOLL

OF JAPANESE SHIPPING AND PLANES GENERAL MACARTHUR’S BOMBERS. OPERATIONS IN PACIFIC AREA. (By Telegraph—Press Association —Copyright) SYDNEY, October 15. After Tuesday’s record air attack on Rabaul the weather in that area became unfavourable for flying, and has since restricted air operations. Tuesday’s strike was carried out in bad weather, which later became worse. General MacArthur’s communique today reveals that following Sunday’s heavy raid on Kahili aerodrome, on Bougainville Island, more than 100 Allied planes from the South Pacific Command again struck at Kahili on Monday. A further great amount of damage was done, and 12 Japanese planes attempting interception were shot down. These attacks against Kahili helped to pin down the possible air reinforcements for Rabaui. General MacArthur’s bombers continue to take heavy toll of enemy shipping. In the Banda Spa on Wednesday Liberators bombed and damaged a me-dium-sized transport, while Catalinas strafed and damaged a small schooner near Sumba Island. At Kocpang on Tuesday night Hudsons damaged a 100ton ship in the harbour, and oil the north-east coast of Timor Catalinas left an 800-ton merchantman smoking after a strafing attack. North of New Britain five enemy cargo ships were attacked by Catalinas on Wednesday. At Matchin Bay, near Buka, off the northern tip of Bougainville Island, Mitchells attacked two Japanese cargo ships. Both were hit so badly that it is believed they were left in a sinking condition. MORE BLOWS LIKELY ADMIRAL HALSEY’S FORECAST. BITTER DOSES TO COME. SYDNEY, October 15. Heavier blows and more successes against the Japanese have been forecast by Admiral Halsey, Commander of the South Pacific forces, in reviewing the Solomons campaign. He told war correspondents in the South Pacific area that “the Japanese have now experienced a foretaste of the bitter doses they must swallow in the days and months to come.”

Another phase of the Allied campaign for the Solomons had been successfully completed by acquiring against only token resistance the islands of Kolombangara and Vella Lavella, said Admiral Halsey The consolidation of these strategic positions in the central Solomons was attributable to two main factors —the magnificent combat ability of the American, New Zealand and Fijian forces and the ever-increasing reluctance of the Japanese to stand and fight along their outer defence lines. The Japanese, nevertheless, suffered losses out of all proportion to the efforts they made to halt the Allied offensive. Japanese survivors of last week’s Vila Gulf battle in the central Solomons swarmed into rescue boats faster than they could be handled, a naval lieutenant told war correspondents on New Georgia Island. Torpedo-boats picked up several score of Japanese clinging to floating debris. According to one correspondent, it was the largest group of Japanese naval personnel ever taken from the water as prisoners. GREAT NAVAL BATTLE FORECASTED BY TOKIO RADIO. JAPAN “ANXIOUS” FOR CLASH. SYDNEY, October 15. “A great naval battle which will decide the fate of the United States and Japan,” has been forecast by the Tokio official radio. “This will inevitably occur,” it says, “when the American Navy attempts a thrust toward the Gilbert Islands.” Predicting that this thrust would be made, Tokio radio said it would begin with an attack on Jaluit, northward of the Gilberts, on the one flank and an attack on northern New Guinea on the other flank, with the objects of making the Gilberts a second Guadalcanal and of isolating Rabaul without directly attacking it. “Japan is anxious for such an encounter,” declared the radio. ITALY & JAPAN DECLARATION OF WAR BELIEVED IMMINENT. LONDON, October 14. An Italian declaration of war against Japan because of the Japanese aggression against Italian interests in the Far East, is imminent, says the Stockholm “Dagbladet's” Berne correspondent. Italian warships manned by Italian crews are ready to sail for the Pacific, where they will co-operate with the United States Navy, he says.