Smashing Blow on Japanese Naval Base

Manawatu Times, Volume 69, Issue 206, 31 August 1944, Page 5

Smashing Blow on Japanese Naval Base

(Special Australian Correspondent.) Received Wednesday, 10.25 p.m. SYDNEY, Aug. 30. Ambon, the big Japanese naval base in Amboina Island, 580 miles north of Darwin, was heavily damaged by a record air blow when a force of 75 Southwest Pacific Liberators escorted by Lightning fighters on Monday pounded the area with 188 tons of bombs. Smoke rose 10,000 feet from the fires that covered the harbour installations and barracks. A freighter was also left burning. Though antiaircraft fire was intense no Japanese interceptors appeared and all the attacking planes returned to base. Other air blows reported to-day in the same area included attacks on the Japanese seaplane base of Halong, on oil installations at Boela and the destruction of five small ships, one of them a three-masted schooner. The Japanese are making feeble efforts to hit back at the newlyestablished Allied air base on Middleherg Island near Sansapor (Dutch New Guinea). When three enemy planes attacked the airfield on Sunday night one was destroyed and a second probably destroyed by antiaircraft fire. Their bombs caused only minor damage. The Allied air forces are maintaining their offensive against the enemyheld aerodromes on Vogelkop Peninsula. In their latest sweeps they also destroyed or severely damaged six coastal vessels and barges. In the past five (lays American troops mopping-up in various sectors of New Guinea killed 600 more Japanese and have taken over 100 prisoners.