LARGELY WIPED OUT

Wairarapa Times-Age, 12 November 1943, Page 3

LARGELY WIPED OUT

JAPANESE LANDING PARTY ON BOUGAINVILLE HEAVY ENEMY AIR LOSSES IN NEW GUINEA. ATTACKS ON CONVOYS MAKING « FOR RABAUL. & (Special Australian Correspondent.) SYDNEY, November 11. The American Marines at Empress Augusta Bay, Bougainville Island, on Tuesday clashed with and defeated the Japanese counter-invasion troops who had landed near their beach-head on Sunday night. The total of enemy killed was 150, and reports from the area say that a large part of the Japanese landing party may have been wiped out. The American casualties were light. Admiral Halsey’s aircraft, continuing their operations in direct support of the ground forces, attacked enemy positions at the mouth of the Laruma River, the scene of the latest fighting. The river forms the north-western flank of the American beach-head. Reports from the South Pacific area say that United States Army troops landed in Bougainville on Monday to support the marines, and that so far they have encountered no opposition. The Japanese Air Force attempted to hinder the Allied operations at Empress Augusta Bay, and sustained sharp losses. When 20 dive-bombers escorted by 40 Zeros attempted to attack shipping in the bay, intercepting fighters shot down 26 enemy planes, and seven others were probably destroyed. We lost eight fighters. Two of our ships received minor damage, and there were small casualties. These enemy air losses formed part of a total of 67 Japanese planes definately destroyed, with nine more probably destroyed and others damaged, which are listed in today’s communique from General MacArthur. The heaviest enemy air loss was at Alexishafen, in New Guinea, where Thunderbolt and Lightning fighters together with Mitchells destroyed 35 planes for the loss of three. The Japanese had been engaged for some time in building up their air strength at Alexishafen, but a surprise Allied sweep, which was early on Tuesday morning, caught them unprepared and 21 aircraft were destroyed on the ground. Of about 30 Zeros which got into the air, 14 were shot down, with two more probably ■ destroyed. BIG MERCHANTMAN SUNK. The Japanese are evidently persisting in their efforts to reinforce Rabaul, and a number of convoys have been reported moving down from the northern waters. Three convoys were attacked by our bombers on Monday and Tuesday, and in one of these attacks a Liberator sank a 10,000-ton merchantman off the western point of New Hanover Island. The ship was escorted by a destroyer and another warship, possibly a light cruiser. About midday on Monday United States Navy Catalinas attacked two cargo ships which were escorted by a destroyer and submarine chaser about 100 miles north-west of Rabaul. The third convoy was sighted off Nassau Island on Tuesday and was also attacked. It comprised two freighter transports of 6000 and 8000 tons with a destroyer escort. BRITISH NAVAL UNITS FIGHTING IN BOUGAINVILLE AREA. ACCORDING TO ENEMY REPORTS. LONDON, November 11. British naval units participated in the battle off Bougainville, in the Solomons, says the Berlin radio, quoting Tokio. They became available for the war in the Pacific through the surrender of the Italian fleet.