ALLIED INVASION OF NEW BRITAIN

Wairarapa Times-Age, 28 December 1943, Page 3

ALLIED INVASION OF NEW BRITAIN

Americans Making Good Progress in Cape Gloucester Area

ENEMY POSITIONS BOMBED AND BOMBARDED

SERIOUS THREAT TO JAPANESE COMMUNICATIONS

LONDON, December 27

The invasion of New Britain in ,the Cape Gloucester area got off to> a good start. 'A few hours', after the landing' forces reached the beaches, the Japanese launched counter-attacks byair. These were met by Allied fighters andj 61 ‘enemy planes were shot ,down. By this' time the beaches were.'held, securely. Liberator, Mitchell and Boston bombers dropped 300 tons of bombs on Japanese positions in the Cape Gloucester area. Australian and American cruisers and destroyers poured thousands of shells into the Japanese positions throughout the day. Under cover of this bombardment American Marines went ashore and soon overcame isolated Japanese groups without suffering any casualties. The Americans have made considerable progress towards the Cape Gloucester airfield. Already more troops have been landed.

One force of United States Marines landed east of Cape Gloucester and another party to the west of the cape. The new landings represent a serious threat to the enemy’s communications and supply lines to Rabaul and other bases. General MacArthur is supervising the operations.