RAID ON RABAUL

Grey River Argus, 21 October 1943, Page 5

RAID ON RABAUL

60 JAP PLANES Destroyed by Mit cihell Bombers (Rec. 9."’') SYDNEY, Oct. 20. Mitchell medium bombers under General MacArthur’s Command on Monday last swept again over the Rabaul area in broad daylight. ror , a loss of three of their own planes they destroyed sixty enemy planes either on the ground or in combat. They probably destroyed six others. They also sank a destroyer, a gunboat and a six-thousand ton cargo ship. They left a corvette burning. They possibly sank a second sixthousand ton cargo ship. This raid brought me total of the Japanese losses at Rabaui during tne past week to one hundred and twentyfive ships eithei' sunk or damriged, and two hundred and forty three planes either destroyed or damaged. This latest achievement by Mitchells was remarkable Decause the aircraft covered this extreme range mission without a fighter escort, depending entirely on their own speed and nrepower for defence. They had to run the gauntlet of attacks by numerically superior forces of Japanese interceptors. Altogether more than sixty enemy fighters were in the air. Tne Mitchells, in attacking waves, were over the target area for nearly two hours. This action is regarded as one of the most spectacular medium bomber raids of the entire war. Throughout New Guinea and New Britain Mitchells have proven tnemselves probably the best medium bomber in this war zone, and tne Japanese have been unable to cope with their repeated low-level assaults. Allied air forces in the South and South-west Pacific have destroyed, or damaged a total of four hundred and fifty Japanese aircraft in seven days. This sustained, smashing Allied air blow began last Tuesday, wnen one hundred and seventy-seven Japanese planes either were destroyed or damaged at Rabaul in New Britain.