SERIES OF ATTACKS

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume 77, 10 August 1942, Page 5

SERIES OF ATTACKS

AERODROMES THE OBJECTIVE 20001 b BOMBS USED SEVEN ZEROS SHOT DOWN Sydney, Aug. 9. South-West Pacific Naval and Air Forces are participating in an attack on Japanese-occupied southeast Solomon Islands. This is revealed in the latest Allied headquarters communique, but no further details are given. On Friday and Saturday Allied Air Forces delivered a series of smashing blows against enemy bases with aerodromes as the primary objectives. For the first time in this theatre 20001 b bombs were used. In Friday’s attack on the enemy’s main southward base of Rabaul 15 tons of bombs were dropped on Vunakanua aerodrome. Seven of twenty intercepting Japanese Zero fighters were shot down in fierce dogfights, the Allies losing one plane. Others received damage and we had some casualties. On Saturday aerodromes in the Rabaul area were again bombed in what is described as a “night interdiction” attack. Enemy aerodromes in Lae. New Guinea, have been heavily bombed in day and night raids. Two thousandpound bombs fell on runways and in aircraft parking areas. The wharf at Lae was also bombed and an anti-aircraft position was hit. Medium bombers made three heavy attacks on the isthmus and the aerodrome at Salamaua. A beached Japanese cargo ship received a direct hit and was left burning. Bombs were dropped on the aerodrome runways and fires were started among enemy installations and anti-aircraft batteries were silenced. An enemy airfield at Buka, in the Solomons, was also attacked. A communique describes the raid as "successful,” but states that considerable anti-aircraft fire was encountered. A strong force of Allied lighters bombed and straffed enemy installations in the Buna-Kokoda sector, starting fires and silencing machine-gun nests. —P.A.