IN THE SOLOMONS

Evening Star, Issue 24919, 17 July 1943, Page 5

IN THE SOLOMONS

DRIVE ON MUNDA CONTINUES SYDNEY, July 16. ' General MacArthur'e communique today reports the following Solomons operations:— New Georgia: Our dive-bombers attaoked enemy positions at Bairoko with I,ooolb and 2,0001 b explosives, and then -thoroughly strafed the area. Our forces are continuing their advance towards Munda aerodrome against heavy enemy resistance. ; On Wednesday night an enemy counter-attack was reputeed, Four enemy guns were destroyed by our artillery. Kolomb'angara; Our torpedo and dive-bombers attacked the Vila aerodrome and the adjacent bivouac areas with 54 tons of explosives, which started fires. These were still burning 90 minutes later. Rendova: Our fighters intercepted and dispersed an enemy formation of 27 medium bombers and 60 to 60 Zeros shortly after noon, shooting down 15 bombers and 30 fighters. Three of our planes failed to return. Vella Lavella: Our medium units, with a fighter escort, attacked two small enemy cargo vessels off Baga Island, sinking one and leaving the, other burning on the reef, and strafed and sank two enemy barges hear Ganongga Island. Enemy outpost positions on Ganongga were strafed. Later, a flight of our fighters sighted and attacked an enemy barge near Pakol Bay, leaving it burning fiercely. Kula Gulf: The destroyer TJ.S.S. Gwin, which was damaged in the naval aotion early on Tuesday, later sank while under tow.