JAPANESE BASE HIT

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXI, Issue 21504, 8 September 1944, Page 4

JAPANESE BASE HIT

N.Z. CORSAIR BOMBERS BLOWS ON BOUGAINVILLE (R.N.Z.A.F. Official News Service.) (10 a.fri.) BOUGAINVILLE, Sept. i. New Zealand fighter-bombers have intensified their attacks on Japanese supply bases arid strong-points on Bougainville Island with considerable success. The highlight of last weekend’s, sorties was the . bombing of an extensive, troop concentration area and supply. dumps at Nekaro, several miles inland from the southern coast, where the enemy is living in huts and underground shelters. Although smaller targets in tne vicinity had previously been bombed, this large operational base itself was located only a few days ago. Here a strong concentration of the enemy who landed at the southern end of Bougainville nearly two years ago has been living in immunity from Allied attack hidden by the- natural cover of the jungle and the clever use of camouflage. . A shower of 5001 b. high explosive bombs early on Sunday morning ernphatically told the Japanese that their days of security and comfortable living were over. An order was issued to wipe the enemy out, and the New. Zealanders are wasting no time on the job. In their first assault the Corsairs plastered the whole target, area, starting two large-fires. The full score of damage has not yet been assessed, but it is believed that the enemy has already suffered considerable loss from bombs, explosions and fires. Another successful mission by New Zealand Corsairs was the demolition of three main bridges on the enemy s principal supply route between Kahili and Tonelei harbour, along the southern coast, which the Japanese still-firmly hold. The destruction of bridges is likely to seriously affect the enemy’s ability' to maintain effective opposition to the Allied beach-head, as considerable traffic along the coastal supply route has now been halted. On all these missions the New Zealanders encountered light automatic anti-aircraft fire, but suffered * no damage.. The confirmed results of recent sorties give the New Zealand Corsair pilots a score of 112 Japanese killed. 39 buildings destroyed, five bridges demolished, and 15 trucks wrecked. These figures exclude raids carried out last week-end.