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Grey River Argus, 15 August 1944, Page 5

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LOST ABOVE NEW GUINEA Land Losses Over 18,000 . Men (Special to N.Z. Press Assn.) (Rec. 7.35.) SYDNEY, August 14. Allied bombers, sweeping the Molucca Sea between New Guinea and (ne Philippines, destroyed or damaged 24 Japanese merchantmen during tne past fortnight. They also sank and damaged shipping in Philippines waters. Main attacks centred around Halmahera on a direct line from Dutch New Guinea to Mindanao island (Philippines). Halmahera is 350 miles south of the Philippines. It was an important Japanese staging base at the height ,of the enemy advance in the South-west Pacific. It still has a large garrison. The shipping attacked there in the past fortnight has been that normally required to service these troops. Main anchorages are in Kaoe Bay, a wide stretcn of water at the north of the island. General MacArthur’s communique today gives details of the latest blows against enemy shipping at Halmahera. Catalina flying-boats left a ’l,OOO-ton freighter burning on Friday night. Mitchell medium bombers scored direct hits on a 3,000-ton vessel. Luggers and barges were also attacked. In Davao Gulf (Mindanao) a United States Navy Liberator sank an 8,000ton freighter. This area has been visited by. Allied bombers six times m the past week. Only light casualties have been inflicted on American troops fighting near Aitape. British New Guinea, where General Adachi’s Japanese 18th. Army is being annihilated. An official statement of American casualties is two hundred and eighty-five killed, nine hundred and ninety-nine wounded, and 'twenty-three missing. Enemy casualties are at least fourteen times as great. Counted Japanese dead number more than eight thousand. Total enemy casualties are estimated to exceed eighteeen thousand.