Devastating Air Raid on Madang

Manawatu Times, Volume 68, Issue 210, 4 September 1943, Page 5

Devastating Air Raid on Madang

Another Shock for Japanese in New Guinea (By Telegraph—Press Assn.—Copyright.) Received Friday, 10.25 p.m. SYDNEY, Sept. 3. In one of the most devastating raids yet made in the New Guinea area, Liberator and Mitchell bombers with a oorong escort of Lightning fighters, on Wednesday dropped more than 206 tons of bombs on the Japanese headquarters and supply base of Madang on the northeastern coast. The bomb load was tae greatest yet dropped in a single day’s raids in the Southwest Pacific and terrific havoc was caused. This smashing attack is reported in General Mac Arthur’s latest communique. Madang is the most important Japanese base between vVewaa and Saiamaua. The raiders also poured SO,OOO rounds of heavy calibre ammunition into the large area which included the Amron mission and Alexishafen aerodrome ten miles away. Warehouses, buildings and the headquarters sites were left in ruins. Fuel and ammunition dumps were exploded and over fifty fires left raging throughout the area from which flames rose to a height of 1500 feet. Anti-aircraft positions around Alexishaien aerodrome were silenced and the only aeroplane on the runway was destroyed. Mitchells and Lightnings swept along the coast strafing barge hideouts from treetop level. Many barges were destroyed about Madang and the Amron mission. There was no intercetpion by enemy planes throughout the raid. The same day Flying Fortresses dropped 23 tons of explosives on enemy supply dumps on Labu Island in the Lae area of New Guinea. Liberators on reconnaissance bombed the building area at Finschhafen. Off Cape St. George, in the New Ireland Group, medium bombers on night reconnaissance effectively bombed arl strafed a flotilla of small Japanese cargo vessels and barges. In raids on the New Britain islands reconnaissance planes at night bombed and strafed the barracks and warehouses at Gasmata and long-range fighters and medium bombers destroyed twelve barges and a fuel dump in daylight coastal sweeps. Medium bombers carried out raids on the islands Th the Arafura Sea southwest of New Guinea. An enemy seaplane base at Taberfane in the Aroe islands, and Langgoer aerodrome in the Kal Group, were attacked with incendiaries. Explosions and fires resulted in both target areas. The communique reports five ineffective raids on Wednesday by Japanese planes on American shore positions and shipping at Vella Lavella in the Central Solomons. Admiral Halsey’s fighter patrols shot down five divebombers and four other enemy aircraft were destroyed by anti-aircraft fire. American torpedo and divebombers struct at enemy defences and installations at Vila on Kolombangara Island, destroying a radio station and several artillery positions, including a five-ineb coastal gun.