JAPANESE BASES

Evening Post, Volume CXXXVI, Issue 72, 22 September 1943, Page 5

JAPANESE BASES

MORE ALLIED RAIDS AIR ORGANISATION SUFFERS (By Telegraph—Press Association —Copyright,) SYDNEY, 'September 21. Heavy attacks by General MacArthur's bombers, on Japanese bases at Cape Gloucester, on the western tip of New Britain, and Finschhafen, on the coast of the Huon Peninsula, in New Guinea, are reported in today's communique from the South-west Pacific headquarters. The heaviest blow on Sunday was struck by Liberators and Flying Fortresses at Cape Gloucester, where aerodrome dispersal points and supply and bivouac areas were blasted with 94 tons of bombs. Five enemy bombers and a fighter were caught in the concentrated bombing and two anti-aircraft positions were destroyed and another silenced. Many large and small fires were caused, and the huge pall of smoke over the target was visible for 70 miles. There was no enemy interception, and all the bombers returned. Beaufighters strafed an aerodrome at Kimbo Bay, on the north coast of New Britain, scoring direct hits on supply dumps, anti-aircraft positions, and surface craft on the beach. One fighter was shot down by anti-aircraft fire. Liberator, Marauder, and Mitchell bombers -attacked the whole Finschhafen area in New Guinea, including the aerodrome, the town, a number of surrounding villages, and surface craft in the harbour. The bombers dropped 21 tons of explosives and also strafed the targets. Neither damage nor casualties was caused in a feeble night raid on Port Moresby by two Japanese bombers. It was Port Moresby's first raid for a month. AMBON ATTACKED. General Mac Arthur's bombers were also active on Sunday in the northwestern sector of the South-west Pacific. In an attack before dawn, heavy | bombers dumped 26 tons of explosives on the town and seaplane base at 1 Ambon, Amboina Island, in the Dutch East Indies, causing numerous large fires and expolsions. An aerodrome and warships at Namlea, Boeroe Island, were raided at night by Allied bombers, which scored direct hits on the targets and started large fires. Air activity in the central Solomons on Sunday was on a reduced scale. Enemy gun positions on Kulambangra