ENEMY SHIPPING HIT OFF NEW GUINEA

Dominion, Volume 37, Issue 153, 25 March 1944, Page 7

ENEMY SHIPPING HIT OFF NEW GUINEA

Greater Attention By Allied Bombers (By Telegraph.—Press Assn. —Copyright.) (Special Australian Correspondent.) (Received March 24, 8 p.m.) SYDNEY. March 24.

The Wewak area of New Guinea was hit with a further 200 tons of bombs in a fierce two-hour raid made on Wednesday morning. Pounded by more than 1700 tons in the past 11 days. Wewak is now one of the most heavily-bombed targets m the South-west Pacific. . In their latest raid. our aircraft destroyed two freighters (of 1000 and 1000 tons), seven coastal vessels, 23 gun positions, several parked planes, and numerous buildings. No Japanese fighters came up to meet the attack.. One Allied plane IS Jtow S timt fewer worthwhile targets are offering in the Bismarck Archipelago this Increased air activity over New Guinea is to be expected. The number of Japanese ships sunk in New Guinea wateis recently does not, it is stated, indicate anv increase of enemy shipping ni° va " ment but rather an intensification of the Allied air blockade of the enemy s bases in New Guinea. Naval Shelling.

In support of Australian ground forces driving toward Bogadjim, on the Rai coast. Allied fighter-bombers . attacked Japanese positions in the Mintjim > alley, starting fires. . Rabaul, New Britain, has been hit with a further 36 tons of bombs. The targets were Vunakanau aerodrome and antiaircraft defences. , In the Solomons Allied bombers and naval units bombarded Japanese positions round the American b.each-head at Empress Augusta Bay. Naval construction units have already begun work on Emirau Island, m the St. Matthias group. The island was captured by United States marines last Monday.

AUGUSTA BAY LULL Shelling By Destroyers

(Official Correspondent, N.Z.E.F.) GUADALCANAL, March 24. In patrol activity, which has been the lone feature of the fourth day of the lull on Bougainville, Fijians accounted for 12 out of 26 Japanese killed for the day. Shelling shore installations, destroyers exploded a large Japanese . ammunition dump south-west of the perimeter, staiting several fires. Air strikes weic maintabled on supply dumps. . The enemy quietude persists on all sectors and there have been no Japanese artillery shells inside the perimeter for three days. A sharp clash 200 yards outside the defence lines cost an American patrol a number of casualties when seekin- to bring in bodies for burial. . lhe patrol met with fire which Pj.’' ne « the ground. The fighting on top of Hill 260, which was the bloodiest sector during the Japanese attacks, died down with the recapture of enemy-held pill-boxes after a concentrated infantry effort, including the use of flame-throwers, bazookas. grenades and incendaries. . Heavy air attacks are continuing over the Rabaul airstrips. Anti-aircraft is the only Japanese opposition left, ine daily raids are expected to show no sign of relaxation till every installation, is destroyed. A big part in these missions is taken by American and New Zealand fighter-bombers.