STILL HEAVIER

Grey River Argus, 17 December 1943, Page 5

STILL HEAVIER

RAIDS ON NEW BRITAIN By Allied Bombers [Aust. -5 N.Z. Press Assn.l (Rec. 10.10.) SYDNEY, Dec. IG.\ Allied air attacks on Japanese bases in New Britain reached a new pitch of fury with an all-day strike against Arawe on Tuesday. More than a hundred aircraft subjected Arawe to the heaviest raid of the South-west Pacific war. Tney dropped three hundred and fifty-six tons of explosives, and fired one hundred and seventy-four thousand rounds of ammunition. Widespread devastation was caused at Arawe, and in neighbouring plantations and islands. Huge fires were left burning (throughout the area. The Japanese Air Force did not attempt interception. All the Allied ’planes returned. Arawe is only forty miles west of Gasmata, which was raided the previous day with 248 tons of bombs, in recent months the Japanese have been attempting to build up their strength in this area. Supplies have been landed by barges, and possibly by submarines. In the past four weeks about seventeen hundred tons of explosives have been dropped by General MacArthur’s bombers on enemy bases in New Britain. More than a thousand tons of bombs, have been dropped in the Gasmata sector. Cape Gloucester, at the western tip of New Britain, has received most of the remaining seven hundred, tons. Gasmata was again hit on Tuesday, simultaneously with the raid on Arawe, a further twenty-eight tons of bombs adding to heavy destruction of the previous day. Japanese troops were among targets for the main attack, which was made principally by Liberator and Mitchell bombers escorted by Lightning fighters, while Boston attack ’planes made low-level strafing sweeps over the entire area. There are several well sheltered anchorages on the south coast of New Britain around Arawe. Offshore there are numbers of .islands and reefs running parallel with the coast. Seven miles east of Arawe there is an enemy airfield. Observers report that this entire target area was attacked with devastating effect. The heaviest blows were delivered during Tuesday morning, but they were followed up bv other strikes in the afternoon. A Catalina, on night reconnaissance scored two bits with thousand-lb bombs on the stern of a Japanese heavy cruiser near Kavieng, New Ireland. Zeros protecting the warship pursued the Catalina for three hours, but it returned to its base only slightly damaged. IN THE SOLOMONS. (Rec. 11.5.) SYDNEY, Dec. 16. In the Solomons, the heaviest Allied air blows reported bv General MacArthur’s communique to-day were against Bunis aerodrome (85 tons of bombs) and enemv gun positions at Matchin Bay (49 tons of bombs). Minor patrol clashes have occurred around the Americans’ Empress Augusta Bay beachhead.

IN NEW GUINEA

JAPS RESISTING. AUSTRALIAN ADVANCES. (Special to N.Z. Press Assn.) (Rec. 9.15) SYDNEY, Dec. 16. In the face of strong resistance, an Australian force is marching up the coast of Huon Peninsula, New Guinea, towards the Japanese barge and supply base of Lakona. This is four miles north of Bonga, which was captured on November 28. General MacArthur’s latest communique reports no important developments in the New Guinea land fighting. . War correspondents report that in the Ramu Valley, tne Japanese are showing a preference for night fighting. Probably this is because of disproportionate losses that they suifered in recent daylight clashes.