MANY JAPANESE KILLED

Southland Times, Issue 25483, 2 October 1944, Page 3

MANY JAPANESE KILLED

N.Z. AIRMEN FLYING IN PACIFIC

BOUGAINVILLE, September 29.

Winding up a successful tour of operations in the northern Solomons with a field day in hunting Japanese, pilots of the R.N.Z.A.F. Corsair Squadron have returned to New Zealand, leaving behind them a heavy toll of damage and destruction inflicted on the enemy. The total enemy killed during the tour was 141 confirmed casualties, which is the highest total credited to any squadron since the New Zealanders began operations with fighter bombers.

The enemy was found in large numbers at the Shortland Islands. The commander of the squadron, Squadron Leader C. R. Bush, D.F.C., of Wellington, and Pilot Officer B. Morgan, of Auckland, made the initial strike, surprising a number of Japanese fishing in two barges. Ten were killed and both barges were destroyed. Pilot Officer R. McGeehan, of Auckland; and Flight Sergeant D. Barker, of Te Rapa, accounted for 24 others, and Flight Sergeants C. Palmer, of Stratford, and C. Tappin, of Feilding, used their guns effectively against from 56 to 60 swimming. Japanese. Some of them escaped. BRIDGES KNOCKED OUT The squadron has made a speciality of bridge-busting and has devised lowlevel bombing for the purpose. It met with immediate success and all but one bridge in enemy territory'south of Bougainville were knocked out during the tour. The squadron dropped 275 tons of bombs, the targets being in many parts of Bougainville and New Britain. The squadron’s total of 2000 flying hours reflects the efficiency of the ground crews who kept them in the air. Sections led by Flight Lieutenant G. Fitzwater, of Blenheim, and D. T. Clouston, of Auckland, and Flying Officer J. R. Riddell, of Christchurch, were prominent in many attacks. Flight Lieutenant G. Bertram, of Rotorua, was a section leader who put up a good score truck-busting, his section knocking out nine vehicles on one sweep, as well as disposing of 17 Japanese. ‘ j Supply dumps in the Rabaul area were given a thorough hammering with high explosives and good results were also achieved with oil incendiary bombs.

These New Zealanders have gone home for a spell, but others have taken their place. There is no rest for the Japanese.