Jap. Aircraft-Carrier In Rabaul Harbour

Northern Advocate, 28 June 1943, Page 4

Jap. Aircraft-Carrier In Rabaul Harbour

(Spec.) SYDNEY, This Day. Concentrations of Japanese shipping in the harbour of Rabaul, New Britain, now include a small converted aircraftcarrier. Latest reconnaissance also shows 170 planes cn the Rabaul airfield network. This figure shows . a slight increase on the numbers recently sighted. It is possible that the carrier has been used to ferry aircraft to this, key enemy base. Japanese shipping concentration at Ra~ baul, including warships, remains substantially unchanged. Latest Bombing Raids Aircraft concentrations at Vunakanau aerodrome and Rabaul dock installations were again attacked by General MacArthur’s heavy bombers in a pre-dawn raid on Saturday. More than 20 tons of high explosives and incendiaries were dropped. Intense anti-aircraft fire was encountered and . two of our bombers are missing. Today’s communique makes no specific claims of damage inflicted. An Australian Beaufort bomber on Friday scored a near miss on one of three 10C0 ton Japanese vessels in a convoy between New Britain and Northern Solemens. One destroyer was escorting cargo ships which appeared to be headed in the direction of Bougainville. The attack was made 65 miles south-south-east of Cape St. George. New Ireland, in the Rabaul area. In northern New Guinea, Lae has been under heavy attack by Allied medium bombers but dense smoke prevented accurate assessment of damage. MadangFinschhafen areas have also been raided in the past 48 hours. Offensive activity by General MacArthur’s bombers in this period has been limited and there are no reports of Japanese air activity.. North of Australia, enemy aerodromes at Penfoei and Dilli, Timor, have been attacked and fires started in dispersal areas Attack U.S. Naval Units The United States Navy Department says that on June 24 Wildcat fighters strafed a Japanese barge south-east of Vamgunu Island, New Georgian group, and yesterday four Japanese bombers unsuccessfully attacked a United States light, surface unit in the Solomons. Also on June 24 Liberators, Mitchells and Venturas attacked Japanese installations in Kiska but, due to poor visibility, results could net be observed. United States patrols killed 15 mere Japanese on Attu.