Spitfires Beat Off Darwin’s 56th Raid

Northern Advocate, 30 June 1943, Page 3

Spitfires Beat Off Darwin’s 56th Raid

(Special)

SYDNEY, This Day

Nine Japanese twin-engined bombers, escorted by nine Zeros, attempted to raid Darwin area about mid-day on Monday. Spitfires shot, down two enemy fighters. Two other lighters and two bombers are claimed as probably destroyed. One Spitfire is missing. Japanese planes dropped their bomb loads from 2G.000 feet and damage is officially described as light. There were no casualties. This was Darwin’s. 56th raid. Last week Spitfires destroyed or damaged 24 Japanese planes over the Darwin area. Flying through extremely bad weather across/ Banda Sea, Liberators on Monday f truck at Laha airfield, Amboina Island. SSO miles north of Darwin and the nearby island of Boeroe. Bad weather prevented observation of results. The only other air activities reported by General MacArthur’s latest communique were attacks by single heavy bombers on reconnaissance on airfields at Cape Gloucester and Rabaui, New Britain. Rapopo aerodrome was the target at Rabaui. Enemy Strength Grows

Commenting on Hie recent lack of large-scale Japanese offensive air activity in the New Guinea sector, one war correspondent suggests that improved weather conditions may see a resumption of the enemy’s 100 plane raids. He also reports that the Japanese have amassed considerable troop

strength in New Guinea —perhaps greater than at any previous stage of

the war

Iho enemy’s bases from Wewak to Salamaua have been strengthened and strong- patrols pushed inland. At one point in the Bismarck Range country, they have penetrated if/ a depth of more than 50 miles from the coast. This is around the headquarters of Ramu and Markhanr-Rivers. The Allies hold territory about 20 miles to the south-west.

Many more attacks on Kiska are reported by a United States Navy communique, which also states that a formation of Dauntless dive-bombers and Avenger torpedo-bombers, escorted by Wildcats, attackedWapanese positions in Rekata Bay, Santa Isabel Island, in the South Pacific. The bombing created so much smoke that observation was difficult. Another formation attacked Munda, New Georgia Island. A number of fires were started, some in the centre of an ammunition dump area. Night-bombing was can-ied out over Japanese naval dispositions in the Central Solomons area. Results were not observed. All planes returned from these attacks.