JAPANESE BASES

Wairarapa Times-Age, 3 December 1943, Page 3

JAPANESE BASES

IN NEW BRITAIN AND NEW GUINEA SHELLED BY AMERICAN LIGHT WARSHIPS AIR AND LAND OPERATIONS (Special Australian Correspondent.) , SYDNEY, December 2. American light warships, probably destroyers, have bombarded the Japanese bases at Gasmata, in southern New Britain and Madang, in north-east New Guinea. Both attacks were made on Monday night and today's communique from General MacArthur's headquarters says that the shellings were accurate and effective. Gasmata, 200 air miles from; Rabaul, is the principal Japanese base on the south New Britain coast; Madang, about 150 miles north-east of Finschhafen, is one of the enemy’s largest remaining supply centres in New Guinea. It was reported yesterday that our warships had bombarded Sio, a Japanese barge base on the northern coast of the Huon Peninsula, and it now appears likely that the same task force struck at both Sio and Madang, which are about 100 miles apart. Madang is the farthest point on the New Guinea mainland to be attacked by Allied surface vessels. Besides shelling shore installations, our warships sank a small enemy vessel. It has not been disclosed whether the task force which bombarded Sio and Madang then crossed 140 miles of the Bismarck Sea to attack Gasmata, or whether this base was raided by a second force. Subsequent aerial reconnaissance has reported heavy damage at Gasmata. These daring sea sweeps offer striking evidence of the growing Allied naval control in the South-West Pacific area. The freer movement of Allied warships in these waters has been made possible by the recent construction of, advanced fighter strips on the Trobriand Islands and the Huon Peninsula, thus affording closer air protection. On the Huon Peninsula, the ground situation has gone increasingly in Allied favour as the Australians 'have consolidated their hold round Bonga and Wareo. Mitchell bombers and Airacobra fighters continue to provide valuable support by attacking the enemy’s supply trails and bivouac areas. In the latest sweeps 30 tons of bombs were dropped on selected targets. In this area, an Australian force is reported to have wiped out the entire garrison, numbering 37, of an isolated Japanese strongpoint. In the Bismarck Sea, Liberators attacked an enemy convoy of two merchantmen and two destroyers. One of the destroyers was probably damaged. Liberators also struck a heavy blow at Alexishafen aerodrome, near Madang before the bombardment by our warships. They dropped 70 tons of explosives on the aerodrome and supply dump areas.

NEW LANDING MADE BY AMERICANS ON BOUGAINVILLE ACCORDING TO ENEMY REPORT NEW YORK, December 1. The Tokio official radio announced that United States troops in six barges made a new landing on Cape Torokina, north of Empress Augusta Bay, Bougainville Island. The landing was made under cover of bombardment from cruisers and destroyers. The radio claimed that two companies of American troops were annihilated. ONE AMERICAN SHIP LOST IN OCCUPATION OF GILBERTS. , LONDON, December 2. Washington states that only one ship was lost in the Gilbert Islands operations. This was an escort carrier, which was sunk by torpedo.