New Guinea Centre Of Mounting Air Offensive

Northern Advocate, 26 July 1943, Page 2

New Guinea Centre Of Mounting Air Offensive

(Special) SYDNEY. This Day. Haiti pressed by ibe rapidly mounting; Allied air offensive over the emir" south-west Pacific, the Japtme.se have thrown more aircraft into this area, particularly New Guinea. Enemy ground troops in the Lao-Salarnaua sector have been seriously harassed by devastating; Allied air attacks, in a big air ball lion Friday Lightnings defeated CO Zeros—one of the largest fighter forces employed by the Japanese over New Ouinea. The battle,'occurred when a strong force of Allied heavy bombers escorted by fighters attacked Bogadjim, 20 miles south of Madang. Zeros, intercepted after our bombers had dropped 61 tons of fragmentation and demolition bombs on buildings and installations. Lightnings destroyed 13 Zeros, and probably destroyed five, and shot at least five more out. of combat. Two of our fighters are reported to have been shot down. Bogadjim is used as a supply point by Japanese. Lae’s Biggest Raid On Saturday Lae received CO tons of bombs from the biggest force of Liberators ever employed against litis target. Our bombers flew through had weather t-o maintain a 90-minute attack which caused heavy explosions and fires. Mitchell medium bombers have made destructive attacks along the New Britain coast in the Cape Lushing region near the south-west corner of the. island When 14 enemy supply barges were destroyed for certain and 31 more either destroyed or seriously damaged in weekend sweeps. About TO miles inland from Madang seven Japanese bombers escorted by fighters have again made an ineffective , attack against the Allied base of Beriabena. General Mae Arthur's bombers have also been active north of Australia raiding a number of Timor objectives. Bitter Skirmishing There are no fresh official reports of New Guinea land fighting although war correspondents say that bitter skirmishing has continued near Komiatum. Land fighting around Salainaua is centred in three areas. The first is on Komiatum trail where enemy patrols have .been ‘'nervously active" but where advantage generally has been with Allied tloops. The second area is round Mount Tavnbu, where enemy losses now approach 300 known killed. The third area is on the coast north of Nassau Bay, where American forces have advanced to tiie shores of Tambu Bay Iwo miles from the ’mountain.