JAPANESE RAID ON WAU

Dominion, Volume 36, Issue 141, 11 March 1943, Page 5

JAPANESE RAID ON WAU

47 Planes Take Part (Bv Telegraph.—Press Assn. Copyright.) (Special Australian Correspondent.)

(Received March 10, 10.40 p.m.)

SYDNEY, March 10.

Evidence of expanding Japanese air-power in the south-west Pacific was an attack yesterday by ,47 enemy planes (26 bombers and 21 fighters) on the Allied aerodrome at Wan, in northern New Guinea. This is the greatest force mustered by the Japanese for a raid on Now Guinea since last August. For tbe first time in many months the enemy in this theatre has held the initiative in the air for a single day. , . , No Allied raids yesterday are reported in the latest communique from General MacArthur’s headquarters. Twenty-six twin-engined bombers hew over Wau aerodrome in tight V formation and dropperl their bombs in a single pass. No attempt was made at low-level bombing or strafing. Damage and casualties caused on the airfield are officially reported to be light. Last August, the Japanese employed a bomber force ot about equal size in a raid ou Port Moresby. ... The only other air activity reported in the South-west Pacific area yesterday was a splendid fight made by a single Flving Fortress which was intercepted by nine "Zeros while reconnoitring over Gasmata, New Britain. Four of the enemy lighters were shot into the sea and a fifth is also believed to have been destroyed. The Fortress returned to its base unharmed.

U.S. BOMBS ON KISKA

(British Official Wireless.) RUGBY, March 0. An American Navy Department communique says: “In the north Pacific, oa March 7, American heavy and medium bombers attacked the Japanese positions at Kiska in the Aleutians. A.A. fire was encountered, but no enemy planes were intercepted. All the American planes returned. . , “In the south Pacific on Sunday night Liberator heavy bombers carried out, minor bombing attacks on Japanese installations at Kahili, Ballale, in the Shortland Islands area, and at Vila and Rekata Bay, in the Solomons. The results were not observed. All the American aircraft returned.”