BOMBED AGAIN TWO SHIPS HIT

New Zealand Herald, Volume 80, Issue 24543, 27 March 1943, Page 7

BOMBED AGAIN

TWO SHIPS HIT

ENEMY BASE AT RABAUL SMASHING ATTACK FIERCE DEFENCES MET (Special Australian Correspondent) CRecd. 7.15 p.m.) SYDNEY, March •>(> Another smashing air attack has been made on Rabaul, New Britain, the main Japanese advanced base in the South-west Pacific. Tn a mass attack before dawn yesterday heavy Liberator bombers dropped a record cargo of 20001b. bombs on the town and harbour front area, evidently with devastating effect. Large fires and heavy explosions were seen. The big planes again fought their way through a terrific anti-aircraft and searchlight barrage. Pilots say that Rabaul has the strongest anti-aircraft concentrations, as well as being the most stoutly defended enemy base, in the entire South-west Pacific area. In the course of Tuesday's heavy raid on Japanese aircraft concentrations at Rabaul one enemy night fighter appeared, but did not join battle. Yesterday morning no enemy air opposition was encountered.

It had seemed that the Japanese were experimenting with night interception, in the hope of warding off the Allies' consistent and damaging air blows. However, the fact that no enemy planes were in the air during the latest raid implies either that the Japanese have abandoned the idea of using night fighters, or that their aerodromes at Rabaul were so severely damaged in Tuesday's attacks that their planes were not able to get off the ground.

JAPANESE AT AMBON SUCCESS OF ALLIED PLANES (Recti. 7.15 p.m.) SYDNEY, March 2fi General Mac Arthur's communique states that Allied heavy bombers attacked the enemy-occupied town of Ambon,- on Amboina Island, and shipping in the harbour. Direct hits with 5001b. bombs were made on two enemy cargo vessels of 8000 tons and 6000 tons respectively, and large fires were started in the wharf building area. In addition to the raid on Rabaul, one heavy plane bombed enemy installations at Gnsmnta and registered direct hits on wharf and adjacent buildings. Heavy units twice raided the aerodrome at Lae, New Guinea, and bombs were dropped on buildings and enemy supply installations at Salamaua. The last-mentioned attack was madu from a low altitude. At Dyke Acland Bay fighters intercepted and shot down an enemy medium bomber on reconnaissance. VIGOROUS AIR WAR BEST MEANS AGAINST JAPAN LONDON, March '2f> " A vigorous and continuous air offensive is the best and, at present, the only effective means of preventing the enemy from regaining his lost initiative in the southern seas or on the Burmese front," says the Times in summing up the progress of the war against Japan. "Its success, besides helping to wear down the reserves of Japan in aircraft and shipping, would also guarantee the undisturbed expansion of Australian and Indian war production, which might be seriously interrupted by any fresh Japanese advance. It would also enable the Allies to add greatly to the burdens which the garrisoning of a multitude of islands has imposed on the Japanese war machine." * SOLOMONS AIR RAIDS WASHINGTON, March 25 Army Flying Fortresses and Navy Avenger torpedo-bombers on Wednesday attacked the Japanese positions at Kahili, in the Solomons, states a United States Navy Department communique. A fire was started, while a small ship in.the Shortland Island area was bombed with unobserved results. All of our planes returned. PEOPLE'S CONFERENCE LONDON, March 25 Colonel Arthur Evans, member of Parliament for Cardiff, who at present is in Washington, has asked a group of American Congressmen to agree to a meeting of representatives from the Legislatures of Britain, America and their fighting Allies. He suggested that such a meeting of representatives of the people should be held in London or Washington as early as possible to discuss war and peace from the people's viewpoint.