SMASHING BLOWS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 16 December 1943, Page 3

SMASHING BLOWS

AT JAPANESE BASES IN NEW BRITAIN RECORD BOMB LOAD DROPPED ON GASMATA. ENEMY CARGO SHIP SUNK OFF NEW IRELAND. (Special Australian Correspondent,) SYDNEY. December 15. In a smashing attack on the important Japanese supply base of Gasmata, in southern New Britain, Allied bombers on Monday dropped 248 tons of high explosives This is the heaviest bomb load of the war in the SouthWest Pacific area. More than 100 planes Liberator and Mitchell bombers, with a strong cover of Lightning fighters took part. Great devastation was caused among buildings, installations and supplydumps, and huge fires were left burning. All the Allied planes returned after shooting down two of 19 intercepting Japanese fighters. Gasmata is about 200 air miles from Rabaul. The recent Allied raids on this target and the satellite bases at Cape Gloucester and Borgen Bay have been the heaviest air strikes made in the South-West Pacific since the series of paralysing blows against Rabaul in October. At the same time as the attack on Gasmata. R.A.A.F. Beauforts heavily bombed Lakunai acredrome at Rabaul. Cape Gloucester was also attacked. Early on Monday a Catalina on reconnaissance off the west coast of New Ireland sank a 4000-ton Japanese«cargo ship. There has been no major activity in the Solomons apart from continue!! bombing and' strafing attacks against enemy positions on Bougainville.