IN STRONG POSITION

Evening Post, Volume CXXXV, Issue 32, 8 February 1943, Page 5

IN STRONG POSITION

began on January 6 and ended on January 10 more than 80 Japanese planes were definitely destroyed, and the probable destruction of enemy aircraft totalled about 150. Saturday's success was not confined to any one type of Allied fighter. American Lightnings, Kittyhawks, and Airacobras all took part in the actions, which were fought at altitudes ranging from 2000 to 18,000 feet. FINE ALLIED AIRMANSHIP. All commentators pay glowing tributes to the Allied airmanship which contributed so largely to. the amazing result. The air battle began shortly before 11 a.m. on Saturday, when eight Kittyhawks escorting heavy transport planes to Wav attacked 12 Japanese medium bombers and fighters which were already raiding the airfield. Seven of the enemy planes were shot down and others damaged, two of them so seriously that it .is unlikely that they reached their base. While this action was taking place eight Airacobras arrived with more Allied transports, all of which were now ordered to return to their base. The Airacobras attacked a force of about 30 enemy planes, mostly fighters, and shot down 11 of them. The skies were scarcely clear when four Lightnings chased 12 Zeros back towards their base. By the early afternoon only six enemy Zeros remained to dispute the Allied air supremacy. They were intercepted by a superior force of Kittyhawks and Airacobras. Three were shot down and the remaining three staggered off in faltering flight with their fuselages riddled. By this time the Japanese had had enough, and Wav aerodrome was left unmolested throughout the rest of the day. This was the first appearance of the enemy over the Wav area. ENEMY RAIDS AT LAE. While our lighters were shooting the enemy bombers out of the sky over Wav, our- bombers made heavy raids on the aerodrome at Lac. which \vas probably the main base for the enemy's surprise air offensive. This action indicates the importance which is attached by the Japanese to the ' Wav aerodrome, and fiercer fighting in the area may be expected. The air battle was preceded by fresh enemy ground attempts on Thursday night to capture the aerodrome. Strong Australian counter-attacks drove the Japanese from the field, leaving 54 dead. Our 25-pqunders played ,an important part in the engagement. Attempts were made to break through the Australian defences at two points, each about three miles distant from the airfield. The first Japanese assault made some gains, but after the enemy had come under fire from the Australian artillery our infantry made a strong counter-attack, compelling them to retire. Since January 28 the Australians in the area have kept superior enemy forces at bay. Our troops have now buried 450 of the enemy, of whom .30,0 were killed in the first battle for the aerodrome. Heavy casualties have also been inflicted by our strafing aircraft and artillery. The enemy have not yet brought artillery into action. The fighting condition's are difficult, but very diffei*ent from those of the Papuan campaijin-

ant Japanese air and naval bases of Buka and Bum, on Bougainville Island. Later an Allied heavy bomber on reconnaissance bombed an 8000-ton Japanese transport in Buka Passage. The vessel was damaged, and it lost speed. Two direct hits on a 1000-ton enemy cargo vessel in Talasea Harbour, New Britain, sank it in three minutes. A 500-ton cargo ship in Open Bay, New Britain, also received a direct hit, and is believed to have been destroyed. Another 500-ton ship at Finschhafen, northern New Guinea, was left burning fiercely. In Lorengau Harbour, at the eastern end of ,Manis Island, in the Admiralty Group, a Fortress sank a 150 ft vessel and damaged another of 130 ft. However, the heaviest blow at Japanese shipping was launched by Liberators at Ambon, 580 miles north of Darwin, where three vessels were sunk or crippled. The largest of these, a 10,000-ton ship, was left blazing from end to end, and two 5000-ton ships were severely damaged. Direct hits were scored on a jetty, and large fires were started in the town area. A force of. enemy fighters which attempted to prevent the attack retired after at least five and probably six had been shot into the sea. The strongest attack which has yet been made by the Netherlands Indies squadron co-operating with the Royal Australian Air Force, was aimed at Aru Island, where ammunition and supply dumps were destroyed. One of our fighters shot down a Japanese reconnaissance plane over Darwin.