RABAUL IN DANGER

Press, Volume LXXX, Issue 24150, 8 January 1944, Page 5

RABAUL IN DANGER

Admission by Tokyo Radio ALLIED MASTERY OF AIR (Special Australian Corresp., N.Z.P.A.) (Rec. 10.30 p.m.) SYDNEY, Jan. 7. The great Japanese supply base of Rabaul in New Britain is in grave danger, according to the Tokyo radio, which says; “Our position in the southwest Pacific has become very serious in the last few days and the menace to Rabaul has become acute. Our forces have been placed at a disadvantage since the enemy has now mastery of the air and dominates our supply lines. The enemy also has at his disposal numerous aerodromes.” A further sweep over Rabaul by Allied fighters from the Solomons is reported in General MacArthur’s communique to-day. Of 30 intercepting Zeros, 10 were shot down and five others probably destroyed. We lost one Corsair.

These persistent Allied fighter sweeps based on the Empress Augusta Bay airstrip on Bougainville Island are forcing the Japanese fighters to engage in combat. Such tactics prevent the Japanese building up reserves of airpower at Rabaul. The enemy no sooner brings in fresh air strength to Rabaul than it is forced to fight by our challenging sweeps. Kawieng ! in New Ireland is also feeling the effects of the increased Allied air pressure promised by General Mac Arthur recently. In the latest strike against this enemy base made on Tuesday morning, American carrier based aircraft badly damaged two Japanese destroyers and shot down nine enemy aeroplanes.

The destroyers were caught in the harbour and hit by both torpedoes and 10001b bombs. One Allied aeroplane was lost and others were damaged. Other Japanese shipping has been attacked by Beaufighters at Koepang on the island of Timor, where a schooner loaded with troops was left burning on Tuesday.

HIGH OFFICIALS WARNED JAPANESE PEOPLE’S MORALE (Rec. 9.30 p.m.) NEW YORK. Jan. 6. A warning to high Government officials that a feeling of unhappiness and cheerlessness was rising among the people “as living conditions become more difficult and as war-time sufferings and hardships mount,” was given by General Tojo in a speech, says the Tokyo radio. “I feel more than ever that Government officials should contact the people with a spirit of self-sacrifice and diligence in the application of their administrative policies,” said General Tojo. General Tojo cautioned officials against talking too much, especially concerning foreign countries, and also to protect military secrets and prevent the spreading of fear among the people.

SAVAGE TRIBESMEN IN BURMA

ENEMY COMMUNICATIONS HARASSED NEW YORK, Jan. 6. “The Japanese-hating Kachins, savage warriors of the border mountain country in Burma, have been harassing enemy communications deep inside the country with deadly effect,” says a United Press correspondent in a dispatch from British headquarters on the Burma border. "Three of the Kachins’ hit-run attacks within a fortnight have caused the Japanese to reduce their northern Burma garrisons because il has proved too costly to keep them supplied. “The most recent attack occurred at Sumprabum, 125 miles north of Myitkyina, where British-paid Kachins headed by a British officer, ambushed 60 Japanese, killed 19. and forced the supply column to return to Myitkyina The previous week a patrol of Kachins and British soldiers ambushed another Japanese force, inflicting 60 casualties.”