REDUCED SCALE

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 87, Issue 40, 18 February 1943, Page 5

REDUCED SCALE

ALLIED AIR ACTIVITY NEAR AUSTRALIA JAPANESE ABANDONMENT OF DOBO BASE (Special Australian Correspondent—N.Z.P.A J (Reed. 9.45 p.m.) Sydney, Feb. 17. Air activity in the South-west Pacific Command area on Tuesday was on a much reduced scale. The heaviest Allied attacks were directed against the Japanese base of Dilli, capital of Portuguese Timor, which had been twice bombed the previous day. On Tuesday Mitchell and Hudson medium bombers attacked in three separate waves. Thick clouds made visibility poor, but the bombs caused fires and explosions. Intercepting enemy fighters were driven off without loss to our planes. Beaufighter reconnaissance of Dobc, Aru Islands, the nearest Japanese strongpoint to Australia, confirms that the enemy has been forced to abandon this base. About 20 tons ol higli explosives were dropped on the town area in Monday’s smashing raid. On Tuesday, when our reconnoitring Beaufighter flew over Dobo at a height of less than 100 feet, observers could find no signs of enemy activity. Continued heavy attacks on the Japanese main northern New Guinea bases of Lae and Salamaua are undoubtedly connected with land activity in the nearby Wau—Mubo sector, being designed to hamper the enemy in building up his coastal reserves and in supplying his inland troops. Mitcheli bombers, made low-level attacks on Malahang aerodrome, Lae, causing consicerable damage to runways and installations. At Salamaua our bombers attacked the peninsula area, destroying many small boats along the shore. No Japanese fighter opposition was encountered.

Enemy forces which attacked Wau almost three weeks ago are still being harassed by Australian patrols in their retreat towards Mubo. In Tuesday's patrol clashes with Japanese stragglers around Wandumi, eight mile* from Wau, the Australians killed 17 additional enemy troops.