ALLIED BLOWS AT RABAUL

Dominion, Volume 37, Issue 118, 14 February 1944, Page 5

ALLIED BLOWS AT RABAUL

Jap Planes Destroyed 272 TONS OF BOMBS IN TWO DAYS (By Telegraph.—Press Association.) (Special Australian Correspondent.) (Received February 13, 9 p.m.) SYDNEY, February 13. Forces of more than 200 Allied planes have struck at Rabaul, New Britain, on successive days. In raids on Wednesday and Thursday reported by General MacArthur's weekend communiques they dropped '272 tons of bombs. The Japanese lost 53 planes destroyed, with another 22 probably destroyed. ‘Six Allied aircraft are missing. On ‘both days the attacks were directed against Vunakanau and Tobera aerodromes, which have been persistently raided since the beginning of the year. On Wednesday the Japanese sent up 50 intercepting fighters, of which 20 were shot down and seven others probably destroyed by our escorting Corsairs, Kittyhawks and Lightnings. Our bombers dropped 98 tons of explosives. _ The greatest strike against Rabaul in several weeks was made on Thursday, when 174 tons of bombs were delivered. Of sixty enemy interceptors 32 were shot down and nine others probably destroyed. One parked bomber was destroyed and six others probably destroyed on Vunakanau aerodrome. ( Dwindling Value.

Rabaul’s dwindling value as a Japanese base has been revealed by recent reconnaissance. Last week fewer than IUU enemy planes were seen on its four. airfields, which formerly held several times that number. Shipping using Rabaul harbour is only one-third of the tonnage ot three months ago, and the United States Under-Secretary for War, Mr. Patterson, states that Japanese naval forces have had to withdraw from the harbour. Tokio radio says the total number ot Allied planes which raided Rabaul on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday was 580. Combined with persistent attacks on Rabaul have been heavy blows against Kavieng, New Ireland. Wewak and Madang, New Guinea. In a smashing record raid on Kavieng, 167 tons of bombs demolished buildings and repair shops. Ten -parked enemy planes were destroyed, but there was no air interception. One of the largest forces of Liberators ever employed in this area dropped 200 tons of bombs at' Wewak, chief Japanese base in New Guinea. The raid was concentrated on Boram aerodrome and supply areas, but low cloud banks pt'e* vented complete assessment o£ the in the day Catalinas had destroyed or damaged 30 of a large fleet of Japanese barges at Muschuisland, off the Wewak coast. . . In Jacquinot Bay, New Britain, a 1000ton enemy vessel was probably sunk by a bombing attack. More than 700 tons of bombs were dropped in these main air blows.

General MacArthur’s communiques are revealing that the Allied aerial offensive against key Japanese bases in the South-west Pacific is reaching a new pitch of intensity. ■