IN GRAVE DANGER

Otago Daily Times, Issue 25428, 8 January 1944, Page 5

IN GRAVE DANGER

JAPANESE BASE AT RABAUL ADMISSION FROM TOKIO (N.Z.P.A. Special Aust. Correspondent) ißec. 0.30 a.m.) SYDNEY, Jan. 7. The great Japanese supply base of Rabaul, in New Britain, is in grave danger, says an admission by th» Tokio radio. “Our position in the Soutli-west Pacific has become very serious in the past few' days, and the menace to Rabaul has become acute,” the radio declared. “ Our forces have been placed at a disadvantage since the enemy has now mastery of the air and dominates our supply lines. The enemy also has at his disposal numerous aerodromes.”

A further sweep over Rabaul by Allied Solomons-based fighters is reported in General MacArthur’s communique to-day. Of 30 intercepting Zeros, 10 were shot down and five others probably destroyed. We lost one Corsair.

These persistent Allied, fighter sweeps, based on the Empress Augusta Bay airstrip on Bougainville Island, are forcing the Japanese fighters to engage in combat. Such tactics prevent the Japanese from building up reserves of air-power at Rabaul. The enemy no sooner brings in fresh air strength to Rabaul than it is forced to fight by our challenging sweeps. Kavieng (New Irsland) is I'tso feeling the effects of the increased Allied air pressure promised by General MacArthur recently. In the latest raid against this enemy base, made on Tuesday morning, 'American carrierbased aircraft badly damaged two Japanese destroyers and shot down nine enemy planes. The destroyers were caught in harbour and hit by both torpedoes and 10001 b bombs. One Allied plane was lost and others damaged Other Japanese shipping has been attacked by Beaufighters at Koepang (Timor), where a schooner loaded with troops was left burning on Tuesday.