NEW BRITAIN RAID

Grey River Argus, 8 June 1944, Page 4

NEW BRITAIN RAID

By N.Z. Warhawk Planes

(RNZ.A.F. Official News Service) (Rec 5.35) BOUGAINVILLE, June 6. More than 1400 incendiary bombs were dropped on a Japanese supply ammunition area north of New Britain in the course of a spectacular rain carried out by New Zealand Warhawks. The New Zealanders peeled off at 10,000 feet and came in fast in quick succession, releasing incendiarv loads, and then shooting up the area with guns as they went on through. Flashes and puffs ot smoke on the ground patterned the enemy position as incendiaries struck. Fires' took hold with further explosions on the ground, and thick coloumns of smoke roce to 1500 ft. This was bv no means the end of the show, for the Warhawks, which were led- by Flight-Lieutenant J. H. Mills (Auckland). The Japanese, realising the deadly nature of the attack, sent up one of the greatest concentrations of ack-ack vet seen by the Warhawk pilots on this tour. Oily black bursts from heavy guns dotted the sky while lighter . tracer wove patterns about the aircraft. The New Zealanders had to run the gauntlet of fire from groups of guns all along the course, but jinking ana dodging, they came through without a scratch. Such attacks haye done much to cripple the enemy, who is now facing a grim future, as supplies and 'communications collapse under an Allied pounding and a s ground forces probe forward for a final reckoning.