RAID ON LAE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 25238, 29 May 1943, Page 5

RAID ON LAE

HEAVIEST OF THE WAR AIR ACTIVITY IN PACIFIC (Rec. 11.15 p\m.) SYDNEY, May 28. The heaviest Allied air attack of the war on Japan’s New Guinea base of Lae is reported in General MacArthur’s communique to-day. For more than an hour on Thursday morning Liberators and Mitchell medium bombers rained high explosive, incendiary, and anti-personnel bombs on aerodromes, dispersal areas, and supply installations. They also bombed the Labu Lagoon area. Twenty-eight tons of bombs, some of them of 20001 b, were dropped on Lae. Long-range Beaufighters which accompanied the bombers fired 12,000 rounds of canon and machine-gun ammunition against troops, buildings, and anti-aircraft positions. The bad weather which recently interfered with our air activity in tnis sector has apparently allowed the Japanese to sneak in supplies. Labu. Lagoon is a favourite dispersal area for enemy barges. One Beaufighter strafing supply dumps in this area was brought down by anti-aircraft fire, which was intense. Big explosions and numerous fires were caused by the raid. The fires were visible for 75 miles. The Madang and Finschhafen areas were also attacked. General MacArthur’s communique reports a raid by 31 Japanese bombers and fighters on the Mambara-Morobe areas, to which Allied troops recently penetrated. The enemy formation broke up and bombed and strafed several objectives in the area, Douglas Harbour, which had been twice previously raided, was attacked by eight aircraft. The damage' was slight.