ON STAGGERING SCALE

Wairarapa Times-Age, 29 October 1943, Page 3

ON STAGGERING SCALE

JAPANESE AIR LOSSES AT RABAUL BUT REINFORCEMENTS STILL APPEARING. BOMB HITS SCORED ON ENEMY DESTROYER. (Special Australian Correspondent.) SYDNEY, October 28. The Japanese have lost more than 800 aircraft destroyed or damaged in Il>e South-West Pacific in flic past fortnight. Of this total, 58 enemy planes were destroyed and 43 damaged when escorted Liberator bombers on Monday again raided Japanese air reinforcements at Rabaui, in New Britain. This raid followed two attacks by escorted Mitchell medium bombers on Saturday and Sunday, making our tally for three successive days 123 planes destroyed and 88 damaged.

Monday’s attack is mentioned fbr the first time in a delayed report in General MacArthur’s communique today. Whereas the earlier attacks were concentrated against Rapopo, Vunakanui and Tobera airfields, Monday s assault was directed against Lakunai field. Liberators dropped 151 tons of bombs, destroying 21 parked aircraft and damaging 23. Thirty-seven of 70 interceptling fighters were shot down, with 20 more damaged. Three cruisers in Rabaul harbour steamed seaward as our bombers came ■over. Many Allied planes were damaged, but only one failed to return to ■its base. . x Heavy Japanese fighter interception indicates that the Japanese still have an ample reservoir of plane reinforcements on which to draw, in spite of the staggering total of their recent losses. It is apparent that the Japanese are concentrating their main air strength in this area at Rabaul. Units of the South Pacific air forces which are maintaining their non-stop offensive against enemy bases at Bougainville, in the northern Solomons, have encountered little fighter opposition in the past few days. When Admiral Halsey’s bombers raided Kahili aerodrome they met intense anti-air-craft fire, but no enemy fighters. This base has always been fiercely defended by the Japanese Air Force in the past. A direct bomb hit on a Japanese destroyer in the Buka area was scored by a night reconnaissance unit. ‘ General MacArthur’s communique today also records a third daylight attack on the Japanese nickle-mmmg centre of Pomelaa, Celebes, causing fires and damage in the plant area. Of a number of intercepting fighters, one was shot down and another damaged. Two Allied heavy bombers were lost. SOLOMONS BASES JAPANESE APPARENTLY LEAVING CHOISEUL. ACCORDING TO AMERICAN OFFICER. NEW YORK, October 28. The Japanese are apparently evacuating Choiseul Island and withdrawing to Bougainville, the last major stronghold in the Solomons, according to Major-General - Harmon’s deputy-chief of .staff, Colonel L. Greely, at a Press conference. The evacuation of Choiseul would reduce the Japanese sphere of influence to Shortland, Buka, and Bougainville but Buka and Shortland are mere dots, so that future fighting in the Solomons will presumably be confined to Bougainville. Colonel Greely observed that the Japanese were strongly entrenched there, but inferred a they might be forced to withdraw without a fight, as they did from Kolombangara. “The Times” points out that sucn a move would conform to General MacArthur’s policy of “massive strokes, instead of island-to-island progress. It adds that if Rabaul is attacked and captured Bougainville could hardly stsnd Colonel Greely reported that Munda had been converted to a good bomber base, with new fighter strips, and Vella Lavella and other points were being developed. He added that the Americans had moved so many bombers into the area that ‘weight was beginning to tell.” “The Japanese,” he said, hna it extremely difficult even to attempt offensive operations.” ALLIED LANDING ON TREASURY ISLAND. REPORTED BY TOKIO RADIO. ■ LONDON, October 28. The Tokio radio reports an Allied landing on Treasury Island in the Solomons. This has not been confirmed from Allied sources./ Treasury Island is 80 miles northwest of Vella Lavella and, 50 miles south of Bougainville.