BASE AT WEWAK BOMBED

Press, Volume LXXX, Issue 24206, 14 March 1944, Page 5

BASE AT WEWAK BOMBED

Battle With Enemy Fighters

JAPANESE LOSE 26 (Special Australian Corrcsp., N.Z.P.A.) (Rec. 11.30 p.m.) SYDNEY, March 13. The Japanese suffered a sharp air reverse when they attempted to save their base at Wewak, New Guinea, from a heavy battering on Saturday. Of 40 intercepting enemy fighters, 26 wore shot down and six others probably destroyed. More enemy aircraft were smashed on the ground. Only two of the attacking Allied aeroplanes failed to return, but others were damaged. Three days earlier the Japanese lost 17 aeroplanes, with 10 others probably destroyed, in a similar'clash over Wewak.

The relentless pounding of Wewak on the Rabuul pattern is driving the main Japanese air concentrations in New Guinea back to Hollandia. Some war commentators suggest the enemy may be planning to fight a delaying action at Wewak. while their strength at Hollandia is further developed. Hollandia has been an important staging base for Japanese aircraft flying from the home islands to the south-west Pacific theatre. A number of heavy night raids have been made on Hollandia recently by Allied aircraft. Saturday’s attack on Wewak was directed mainly against the Borum airfield, where 120 tons of bombs were dropped. Fires and terrific explosions caused widespread destruction, Rabaul, in New Britain, had its customary pounding during the weekend, being hit with a further 91 tons of bombs. The targets were the township. airfield, and waterfront. Three small craft were sunk. There was no air interception. Other objectives attacked by General MacArthur’s bombers on Saturday included Lorengau. in the Admiralty Islands. Kawieng, in New Ireland, Gasmata and Cape Hoskins, in New Britain, and Madang, in New Guinea. Two Japanese troop-laden barges were sunk off the north New Britain coast by air patrols.