Another Allied Air Victory Over Japs

Manawatu Times, Volume 68, Issue 209, 3 September 1943, Page 5

Another Allied Air Victory Over Japs

(By Telegraph—Press Assn.-Copy right.) Received Thursday, 10.25 p.m. SYDNEx, kept. 2.

Allied aLmen scored another great viCuOry in Lie Sciouionj yesdaruay wneu oucy saoo cio\m LUrry-tux oat or a xorce of sixry Japanese lighters in a bitter running batcie over the sea. Only six. ixilicd planes were lost. This latest success which demonstrates the marked Allied air superior icy over tne Japanese in tao ttouth *acific, is reported in to-day's commun.que from General Mac Arthur's Headquarters. The oat tie developed when swarms of Japanese tiga-era vaimy attempted to prevent an aiiacu on Kahili aerodrome on tae soutnern tip of Bougainville Island, oy Lioeraror bombers with a strong fignter escort. As the enemy swept in to intercept the combers, Allied fighters dived among them and a fierce battle raged. Tae bombers pressed home the attack and scored heavily along the runway, bupoor visibility prevented an assortment of the damage. Japanese fighters continued the battle until the homewaru oound raiders were over Canongga island, south of vella Lavella. The. mattered remnants of the enemy then broke off the engagement. The Allies in the bolomons are shooting down five Japanese planes for every one they lose. The total of enemy planes claimed as destroyed since the American landing in the Solomons in August last year, is now 1562. Another Allied raid in the Solomons reported in to-day’s communique, was on Rekata Bay, Janta Ysabel Island, where heavy units pounded mstaila tions without opposition. A fighter de stroyed a Japanese reconnaissance plane off the south coast of Santa Ysabel. In a coastal sweep at Vella Lavella island, our fighters destroyed a smau cargo vessel and two barges near Paraso. Allied light naval craft on night patrol same a loaded barge ana damaged two others in Vella Gulf. General MacArthur’s bombers attacked widespread enemy objectives in the Southwest Pacific. Heavy units on reconnaissance bombed the oil port of Boela and villages of Kokas and Soroni on German Island. The results have not been disclosed. Off New Ireland, a medium unit bombed a Japanese destroyer and an 6000-ton cargo ship with unobserved results. In a coastal sweep around the western end of New Britain, medium bombers destroyed or damaged ten barges and strafed an enemy occupied village south of Dorf Point. The Huon Peninsula area of New Guinea was attacked by Allied medium units which executed a coastal sweep between Finschhafen and Said or Jetty. The area near Feiss Point was bombed and strafed. During the week, light naval craft on patrol in waters along the coast off Huon Peninsula destroyed twelve barges. In Vitu Island, north of New Britain, neavy reconnaissance planes attacked barges at Garove Island and the jetty at tinea Island. A strong Japanese position on Scout Ridge, the southern bastion of Francisco Valley at Salamaua’s “back door,” has been encircled by American troops operating from Roosevelt Ridge. The Japanese had established strong defensive positions on the top of a steep escarpment and have delayed the American advance for a considerable period. Abandoning frontal attacks, the Americans made a flanking movement round the auomy strongpoint ana now have almost surrounded it. Australian troops made small but important gains against the Japanese who retreated to Francisco River after the Allied victories at Komiatuxn and Tambu. On the south side of the river where a small enemy force has been resisting stubbornly, the Australians have made territorial gains and captured a pillbox. The Japanese on the north side of the river are m airing small counterattacks in an attempt to preserve their hard-pressed positions.