Official Account of Operations

Manawatu Times, Volume 68, Issue 161, 9 July 1943, Page 5

Official Account of Operations

Received Thursday, 8.46 pm. SYDNEY, July 8. Referring to the operations in the Solomons General MacArtaur’s communique to-day says:

Kendova: A force of enemy bomoers with a strong escort of 66 Zeros was intercepted and dispersed by our Sgnter patrol shortly alter noon. Three enemy bomoers and nine hgnters were shot down for the loss of one Allied plane. Delayed despatches indicate that on July 5 18 enemy bomoers .attempting to attach Allied snipping were driven off with the loss oi nine bomoers. No damage was caused. Vila; Our torpedo and diveuombers with lighter escort attached an enemy aerodrome, dropping 28 tons of heavy bombs on antiaircrait positions, bivouac and supply dump areas. Numerous hres were start of. Eater, escorted medium units bombed tne aerodrome and tnere was no interception. Ail our planes returned from tnese attacks.

New Georgia: Our forces landed at Rice anenorage, four miles northeast of Bairoko harDour, before dawn on July 5. The operations were preceded by a bombardment of enemy bases in the Kula Gulf by our surface units. During the same night elements of our ground lorces from Rendova secured a beachhead at Zanana, six miles east of Munda aerodrome. Patrols made contact along the Barike River

Buka: Our heavy bombers attacked the aerodrome after nightfall with high explosives and fragmentation Bombs, starting a large fire near the runway. Buin-Faisis: Our heavy bombers attacked Kahili aerodrome at dusk with 46 tons of high explosives, causing large fires in the dispersal areas. Intense antiaircraft fire from warships and shore batteries was encountered and enemy fighters intercepted. Two of our planes are missing. After dark our heavy units bombed Baliale aerodrome causing four large fires with smoko rising 4000 feet.

Kula Gulf: Amplifying reports of the Battle of Kula Gulf during the early hours of July 6 indicate that the enemy naval force was decisively defeated with the 10S3 of at least nine warsht s In the first phase of the engagement four or five hostile destroyers wore struck by smashing broadsides that within five minutes destroyed the entire