BIG ALLIED RAID.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 63, Issue 230, 9 July 1943, Page 3

BIG ALLIED RAID.

SUPPORT GIVEN TO TROOPS. THE NEW GUINEA FIGHTING (Special Australian Correspondent N.Z.P.A.) SYDNEY, July 8. In the heaviest raid on a land target ever made in the South-west Pacific, more than 50 Allied bombers and attack planes on Wednesday pounded Japanese positions in the Mubo area of Northern New Guinea, dropping 10G tons of high explosive and fragmentation bombs in less than 45 minutes. Australian laud forces which pushed forward after this record aerial bombardment captured Observation Hill, an important strategic point almost directly north of Mubo. Other clashes between the opposing ground forces occurred in the Bobdubi area. Mitchells, Bostons, and Liberators sent their bombs crashing on to the enemy position in seven sweeps over the target area. The attacks were made in direct support of our ground troops. The only air action in which a greater number of aeroplanes lias beeu used in the South-west Pacific area was the Bismarck Sea battle. In addition to the attacks in the Mubo area, General MacArthur’s communique to-day reports that Bostons strafed enemy positions on Bobdubi ridge. Mitchells bombed and strafed installations on the Labu lagoon, in the Lae sector. The immediate object of the campaign being fought round the Japanese Northern New Guinea base of Salamaua seems to be the elimination of the enemy forces now in danger of being bottled up in the nearby hinterland area of Mubo—Komiatum. Broken only by isolated skirmishes, the deadlock in this sector has persisted since last February. The latest reports indicate that the Allied strategy is making favourable progress.