SOUTH PACIFIC

Grey River Argus, 16 July 1943, Page 5

SOUTH PACIFIC

MUNDA DOOMED.

Wednesday’s Allied Air

Raids

[Special to N.Z. Press Assn.] (Rec. 9.55.) SYDNEY, July 15. No change in the position either in ’ New Georgia Island or New Guinea is reported to-day. The communique from General MacArthur’s Headquarters to-day, however, gives striking evidence of continued Allied air superiority over the entire South-western Pacific battle zone. While Allied aircraft were active on Wednesday over nine enemy occupied areas, Japanese air activity was virtually at a standstill. Three enemy dive-bombers were intercepted by Kittyhawks near Salamaua. All these were shot down. The main Allied offensive air activity on Wednesday was directed against Japanese aerodromes in the Northern Solomons. Detailing operations in the Solomons area, General MacArthur’s communique today says:— Bougainville: Buka—Our heavyunits bombed the aerodrome after dark with unobserved results. Bryn. —Our heavy bombers attacked Kahili and Baliale aerodromes at night starting fires in dispersal areas. Those at Baliale were visible for 50 miles.

Kolombangara: At Blackett Strait our medium units, escorted by fighters, attacked and destroyed two large enemy barges in Hunda Cove during the 'morning. Vella Lavella: Our medium bombers attacked and destroyed a small enemy cargo vessel in the Osagle Channel. War correspondents in the Central Solomons report that American troops are steadily infiltrating the outer perimeter of Japanese defences at Munda, where the beleagured enemy garrison is facing annihilation.

Meanwhile, Munda’s companion air base, Vila, on Kolombangara Island, is being softened up by Allied bombing attacks. The fall of Munda would enable the Americans to mount artillery' on the New' Georgian coast and shell Vila, only six miles across Kula Gulf, just as Munda is now being shelled across Blanche Channel from Rendova Island. An Australian war correspondent stated: The probability is that the Japanese will leave Munda to the fate that is steadily overtaking it, and will make their last stand in the New Georgia group on Kolombangara. There is evidence that the enemy is pushing reinforcements into Vila, but there is no evidence that he is trying to reinforce Munda from Vila. A Decisive Action AGAINST MUBO. (Rec. 12.39.) SYDNEY, July 15. General MacArthur’s Headquarters, in a special announcement tonight, said: Our troops are closing in on the Mubo bastion of the Salamaua line for decisive action.