NO JAPANESE OPPOSITION

Southland Times, Issue 25359, 10 May 1944, Page 5

NO JAPANESE OPPOSITION

AMERICANS TAKE AIRFIELD

EXTENSIVE DAMAGE AT RABAUL

(Special Australian Correspondent, N.Z.P.A.) v

(Rec. 10 p.m.) SYDNEY, May 9. American troops yesterday occupied the airfield at Cape Hoskins on the northern coast of New Britain. They encountered no Japanese but suffered a few casualties from booby traps. Cape Hoskins was once an important enemy air staging base, but was put out of action, by relentless Allied bombings, when the invasion moves were made at Arawe, Cape Gloucester, early this year. Cape Hoskins airfield is within 150 miles of Kabaul, where recent reconnaissance photographs reveal widespread damage.

An official estimate lists Rabaul township and adjoining installations as 80 to 85 per cent, destroyed; Lakunai airfield and installations, 85 per cent, destroyed; Tobera, 80 per cent., Vunakanau and Rapopo, 50 per cent. Despite the concentrated bombings the Japanese for many weeks continued to repair the damaged runways and rebuild the installations, but lately their persistence has weakened and repair of the strips has slipped into an irregular routine.

Considerably more than 10,000 tons of bombs have been dropped on the 10 miles square defence area at Rabaul during the past seven months. In this locality are 40,000 beleaguered troops, remnants of

■ Japan’s 17th Army. The sustained air offensive against Rabaul began on December 17. Before this the greatest strike against enemy strength there was on October 12 last, when 117 planes and 119 ships, including destroyers, were destroyed at the base within 24 hours. By February 18 Allied warships were able to shell Rabaul without fear of enemy air interference. The last enemy fighter opposition encountered over the base was three months ago. INCREASING AIR OPPOSITION

Increasing Japanese opposition' to Allied air blows west of Hollandia in Dutch New Guinea has necessitated the provision of fighter escort for Liberators striking at enemy bases in the Schouten Islands, Geelyink Bay. The Allied fighters are believed to come from the recently captured airfields at Hollandia. Of 12 Zeros, which attempted interception on Sunday, nine were shot down without loss to our planes. Liberators over the same area on Saturday, encountered 17 enemy fighters, shooting down one. Thfe heaviest air attacks reported by General MacArthur’s .communique today were on the Wakde-Sarmi area, about 100 miles west of Hollandia, which was hit by more than 100 Allied jilanes on Sunday. Mitchell and Liberator bombers dropped 295 tons of explosives. Airfields, bivouac and supply areas were heavily damaged and smoke -from large fires covered the target.

American casualties since the landing of Hollandia. have been 28 killed in action or died of wounds, and 95 wounded. About 800 enemy dead have now been counted in the area and more than 150 Japanese have been taken prisoner.

Allied planes continue to blast the Japanese trapped in the Wewak-Hansa' Bay sector of British New Guinea and patrol and torpedo-boats are adding to the enemy’s troubles with damaging strikes. At Wewak on Friday night they destroyed five barges arid strafed trucks on the coastal road. Solomons-based Liberators bombed Woleai in the Carolines on Saturday morning, destroying two grounded aircraft. Liberators on Friday located an enemy convoy of five small vessels, 175 miles west of Truk arid sank three. The ships were from 100 to 500 tons. GUAM AND TRUK BOMBED Army and Navy Liberators attacked Guam island in daylight on Saturday, says a Pacific Fleet communique. Approximately 25 enemy ■ fighters intercepted, seven of which were shot down, three probably destroyed and two damaged. All our planes returned. Army Liberators bombed Truk atoll on Saturday . night, starting several several fires. Ponape island was bombed in daylight on Saturday. by Army Mitchells, and at night by Army Liberators. Airfields and defence installations were hit. Other aircraft dropped 33 tons of bombs on the remaining enemy positions in the Marshalls on Saturday, hitting- coastal batteries, fuel storage facilities and magazines.

JAPANESE DRIVE ON LOYANG , Chinese Position Worsening (Rec. 9 p.m.) CHUNGKING, May 8. , Fierce fighting on all sectors of the Honan front is reported in field dispatches. ' The Chinese position is generally worsening. The Japanese are now six miles south,of Loyang. Only 14 miles of the Peiping-Hankow railway are now controlled by the Chinese.

Lieutenant-General'. Stilwell’s communique reports that Chinese and American planes continue their activity in support of the ground forces in the Yellow river area, attacking enemy columns. Fighter-bombers ranged over Indo-China destroying railway cars, locomotives and railway installations. IMPROVED SITUATION IN BURMA

(8.0.W.) RUGBY, May 8. It is considered in London that a general improvement in the situation .in Burma has been shown during the past week. Lieutenant-General Stilwell’s troops, aided by United States medium tanks, are making steady progress down the Hukawng Valley and are now nine miles from Kamaing, 20 miles from the Mogaung-Myitkylna railway. Parallel with Lieutenant-General Stilwell’s forces, Gurkha and Kachin troops are advancing down the Mali or Fort Mertz Valley towards Myitkyina. The information available concerning General Lentaigne’s air-borne troops in the Katha area suggest, that they are successfully drawing off the Japanese troops from the main operations.