WIDESPREAD BOMBING

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 87, Issue 64, 18 March 1943, Page 5

WIDESPREAD BOMBING

MACARTHUR’S COMMUNIQUE Reed. 8 p.m. Sydney, March 17. General MacArthur’s communique, issued to-day from his headquarters, states:— North-western Sector Dutch New Guinea-Kaimana: One of our medium units bombed and strafed a small enemy merchant ship in the bay. Cape Van den Bosch: Our heavy bombers attacked three enemy medium cargo vessels with unobserved results. Aroe Islands, Arafura Sea: Early morning reconnaissance of the seas north of the Aroe Islands failed to locate any enemy shipping. Our air attacks on the previous afternoon evidently forced the small convoy to retire without reaching its destination. Dobo: Our medium bombers attacked the town on successive days, scoring hits among barrack buildings and on the radio station. Three enemy luggers near Wokam were strafed and left sinking. Our long-range fighters executed strafing attacks on buildings, huts and tents at Dobo and Wokam. and on surface craft in the adjacent waters.

North-eastern Sector New Britain, Übili: One of our heavy units bombing the building area was attacked by an enemy twin-en-gined bomber which was shot down in flames and observed to crash in the sea. New Guinea.—Lae: Our medium bombers, under strong escort of our long-range fighters, attacked the building area. Heavy anti-aircraft fire was encountered but there was no interceptions. Salamaua- In a surprise early morning raid, co-ordinated with the attack on Lae, our attack ftlanes effectively bombed and strafed the town area at extreme low altitude, causing numerous explosions and four large fuel fires at the Shell and Vacuum oil depots, which later merged into a central conflagration encompassing the entire target area. As our aircraft departed the flames were seen rising hundreds of feet and large columns of heavy black smoko 7000 feet high were visible for over 20 miles. Heavy anti-aircraft lire was encountered. There was no attempt at interception. Marienberg: One of our heavy units strafed the village and township area.