Complete Isolation Of Jap. Bismarck Bases

Northern Advocate, 22 March 1944, Page 4

Complete Isolation Of Jap. Bismarck Bases

(Rec. 3 .p.m.) SYDNEY, This Day. Allied ground forces from Solomons bases have seized a portion of the St. Matthias Island group, north of Kavieng, New Ireland. They went ashore with strong naval and air support.

“This operation,” says General MacArthur’s communique, “completes isolation of all enemy bases in the Bismarck Archipelago and places us within bombing range of Truk. ,? Japanese shore installations ai Kavieng have been subjected to a terrific three and a-half hour bombardment by Allied naval units which fired about 1000 tons of shells into the target arc, causng large fires. Whole sections of the town were completely destroyed and ammunition dumps exploded, and shore batteries were silenced. We had no lasses.

Kavieng', as well as Rabae.l. was also a target for a heavy air attack. Near Hoilandia. New Guinea, night air patrols badly damaged a 6000-ton Japanese freighter with a direct hit and halted gunboat with near misses.

Aitape, New Guinea, has been, hit with more than 150 tons of bombs, effectively covering Tadji aerodrome, bivouac and supply areas. Many parked planes were destroyed. We had no losses.

There was slight Japanese resistance which was quickly overcome. F.mirau is 80 miles north-west of Kavieng. Airmen returning after bombing the Japanese convoy yesterday said they saw more than 500 Japanese struggling in the water. The men had no chance of survival since the convoy went down 70 miles from land. It is believed that these enemy troops were reinforcements for the Wewak garrison.

More than *OO Liberators, Mitchells and Boston bombers attacked the convoy beginning at about 10 o’clock on Sunday morning. They dropped their bombs at a minimum altitude and did not return to their bases until not a single enemy ship remained afloat. General MacArthur’s communique revealed yesterday that in earlier attacks on a Japanese convoy off the coast of North-east New Guinea, a 3000-ton freighter was sunk and a destroyer and a 5000-ton freighter were severely damaged.

It is believed that this was the convoy whose destruction was finally completed on Sunday. While the enemy ships were under aerial bombardment, a second force of 100 Allied bombers struck at Wewak itself. Mitchells and Bostons dropped 113 tons of bombs causing heavy damage among supply-dumps and installations. Later our fighters sank an enemy troop-laden barge and coastal vessel near Wewak. The Japanese attempted to provide some air cover for ineir ships, but it was ineffective. Two enemy fighters were shot down, while from a whole series of operations against both the convoy and Wewak itself, three Allied planes are missing.

Sunday’s was the 15th Allied aerial attack on Wewak during March. More than 1500 tons of bombs have been dropped in these raids. As well as shipping, 105 Japanese planes have been definitely destroyed in these blows against Wewak with 26 probably destroyed. Allied losses in all operations have been 10 planes. General MacArthur's communiques for 1944 have reported , the following Japanese shipping losses in the SouthWest Pacific area:

Destroyed: Two destroyers, 14 auxiliary warships, 73 merchant vesseis, 435 barges and 65 small craft. Probably destroyed: 24 merchant vessels, 45 barges, four small craft.

Damaged: Four cruisers. 13 destroyers, one submarine. nine auxiliary warships, 50 merchant vessels, 290 barges and 60 small craft.

On Sunday night Allied destroyers made their most north-westerly penetration along the New coast since the early days of the Japanese war to shell enemy installations at ICairuru and in the Muschu Islands, just north of Wewak. They sunk or damaged a number of smali craft, and started large fires.