PACIFIC SWEEPS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 25208, 24 April 1943, Page 5

PACIFIC SWEEPS

FLYING FORTRESSES MANY AREAS VISITED (N.Z.P.A. Special Aust. Correspondent) (Ree. 10 p.m.) SYDNEY, Apl. 23. Allied air activity in the South-west Pacific on Wednesday and Thursday was confined to offensive and reconnaissance sweeps. On Wednesday 10 Japanese bases were visited, while on Thursday our planes were over five enemy-occupied areas. Flying Fortresses, which made the majority of the sweeps in the New Britain, New Ireland, and New Guinea areas, noted considerable Japanese fighter activity. Four Flying Fortresses were attacked by Zeros, which, because of their altitude, must have been on patrol. One pilot saw other fighters apparently shuttling between Wewak and Madang, important enemy bases on the north New Guinea coast. Formerly, when Allied bombers have been attacked in this area, intercepting fighters have been seen racing up at them from the ground. The pilots said that most of tine fighters appeared to be a new type. They were more heavily armed than the Zeros formerly encountcied. It is nossible the Japanese have been comnelled to introduce fighter patrols to combat the incessant Allied raids on their bases and shipping. Tne chain of airfields recently built at close intervals along the North New Guinea coast offers a series of ideal bases for intercepting fighters. , ... Japanese fighters endeavoured without success to bring down Flying Fortresses on reconnaissance over their main South-west Pacific supply bases of Rabaul (New Britain) and Kavieng (New Ireland). In each instance our bombers were attacked by four enemy fighters. Over Rabaul one Zero was shot down and the others abandoned the fight. A running fight lasting for 150 miles occurred in the Kavieng area. Both our bombers returned to their bases. Other Flying Fortresses, raiding the Gasmata aerodrome, on the south coast of New Britain, destroyed a grounded Japanese bomb-r with a direct hit. Destructive fires were started in raids on Übili.

Along the north New Guinea coast one of our heavy bombers attacked Japanese artillery emplacements on the outskirts of Nubia, an enemy-occu-pied town on Hansa Bay, 30 miles north-west of Bogia. Japanese ships have recently been attacked in the bay. The heaviest raid reported by General MacArthur’s latest communique w>s made in the Nassau Bay area, southwest of Salamaua, where occupied islands and villages were attacked by medium bombers and attack units. The communique reports severe damage. Hudsons, Mitchells, and Beaulighters have been active over Timor. At Dobo, in the Aru Islands, Hudsons and Beaufighters bombed and strafed the building area, fuel dumps, and the float plane anchorage, causing fires. The only Japanese offensive activity reported in the past 48 hours was an ineffectual raid by a single plane on Morobe, between Lae and Buna, on the north New Guinea coast. This is the latest area to be occupied by the Allied forces driving along the coast.