ALLIES CLOSING IN

Bay of Plenty Times, Volume LXXI, Issue 13198, 15 July 1943, Page 5

ALLIES CLOSING IN

MUNDA AIRFIELD Enemy Resistance Stiffens Operations In The Pacific London, July 14. Allied forces on New Georgia in the Solomons are steadily closing in on Munda airfield in the face of stiffening Japanese resistance. They are receiving strong support from the air. Many tons of bombs were dropped on enemy anti-aircraft positions and camp buildings at Munda. Allied fighters attacked a force of IS Japanese dive-bombers and 10 Zeros. Four of the Zeros were shot down and all the bombers had to jettison their bombs. A quantity of Japanese equipment, including many machine-guns, has been captured. ' It is now known that the Japanese cruiser and three destroyers sunk in the second battle in the Kula Gulf were trying to reinforce the garrison ct Munda.

A further 50 tons of bombs have been dropped on the Japanese base at Salamaua in New Guinea. In the North Pacific U.S. aircraft have made three more attacks on Kiska which was shelled by the U.S. Navy on the tw r o previous days.