WIPED OUT

Wairarapa Times-Age, 30 December 1943, Page 2

WIPED OUT

BY NEW ZEALAND BOMBERS JAPANESE SUPPLY CENTRE. ON BOUGAINVILLE EAST COAST. (By Telegraph—Press Association —Copyright) GUADALCANAL, December 16. In one of their most important bombing missions since their arrival in the forward area recently, Ventura bombers of an R.N.Z.A.F. squadron operating in the Solomons wiped out a Japanese supply centre on the east coast of Bougainville Island. Up to now the Venturas have been mainly engaged on standard patrols and barge hunting, and the six aircraft assigned to the latest bombing task welcomed the chance to have a straight-out smack at the enemy. Their target was a group of 10 or 12 copra warehouses, in use by the Japanse as a storehouse for supplies, on the beach at Arigia plantation. They Gained out their mission with clock-like precision and, in the laconic summingup of the official report, ‘'the object of the strike was achieved in full.”

No air or ground opposition was cncountred, but the enemy are known to be active in the area, as Allied scouting planes have run into strong ack ack in the vicinity.

Of 36 bombs dropped the majority fell either directly on the warehouses or close enough to do effective damage. During the attack results could not be observed in detail because of the dense smoke which rose over the area, but the crew of the last aircraft, on the second run over the target, saw beyond all doubt that all the buildings had been destroyed.

Setting out from their forward base, the Venturas came in from the sea toward their objective, and poised for the attack. They went in singly at intervals of half a minute. BULDINGS BLOWN INTO AIR. Diving from 2000 to 500 feet the leader of the striking force approached the target with front guns blazing. In the line of his sights was a big red building in the trees near the beach. Taking this to be a warehouse, he let go his bombs and saw two hit the building. He continued to strafe the plantation, then drew off to wait for the other aircraft to form up before making a second run. Already dense smoke was rising from the spot. Followed by his flight, he headed in again and strafed the bombed area, but because .of the smoke cover could see little of the actual damage done. A stick of bombs from the second aircraft landed right across a group of large buildings, which the tail gunner saw thrown into the air by the explosion. By. the time the third plane Avas ready to release its cargo the beach point was obscured by dense smoke, and aim tvas therefore taken at the centre of the target area. The next aircraft picked out a large hut landAvard of the smoke pall and rocked bombs into both areas.

The rear gunner of the fifth plane saw one of a number of huts to the right of those previously hit lift under the explosion of their bombs. On its strafing run this aircraft fired on what appeared to be a supply dump covered by a tarpaulin. As the last Ventura went in the pilot spied a large iron-roofed building on one side of the area. At least two bombs found their mark, for timber was hurled high in the air. On their second run the crew of this aircraft had a first rate view of the target area and were confident that all of the buildings were wiped out