Says Bougainville No Longer Threat To Allied Pacific Plans

Northern Advocate, 13 December 1943, Page 3

Says Bougainville No Longer Threat To Allied Pacific Plans

(Received 11.30 a.in.) (Special) '-SYDNEY, This Day. American light bombers and fighters are now using Toroldna airfield on the north-western side of the United States beach-head at Empress Augusta Bay. Bougainville Island, northern Solomons. Use of the new field enables Allied bombers to receive fighter protection on their raids against Japanese positions to the north. This is reported by war correspondents in the South Pacific area. In the six weeks’ fighting since the American landing at Empress Augusta Bay. the Japanese have lost a minimum of 2000 killed. American casualties have been about 1300 with fewer than 300 killed. Japanese airfields on Bougainville have been kept inoperative by a constant hail of bombs and shells. Japanese naval forces face a tremendous problem in supplying their garrisons on the island with food and war materials. Allied light naval craft constantly patrol the enemy’s lanes of escape, while our aircraft hammer his installations. War commentators suggest that Bougainville has now ceased’ to he a threat to Allied plans in the Pacific.