SMASHING BLOW

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 62, Issue 89, 26 January 1942, Page 3

SMASHING BLOW

DUTCH BOMB ENEMY SHIPS. action in the east indies. most decisive in the war. (United Press Association —Copyright.) LONDON, Jan. 24. A communique issued by the headquarters of the Netherlands East Indies forces at Batavia states that in the last 24 'hours there has been some air activity here and there in the outer provinces. The only actions worth mentioning were air raids on Samarinda, where only one bomb was dropped. During the attack on Samarinda oneman and one woman were killed ana material damage was very small. Slight damage was caused by an attack oh Tcrnatc, which was carried out by one aircraft. There were no casualties.

Details of the attack by Netherlands East Indies bombers on a Japanese fleet in the Straits of Macassar show that it resulted in four direct hits with four heavy bombs on one cruiser, on one heavy cruiser, one large transport, and one warship respectively, while two direct hits each were scored on one transport and two large transports with lighter bombs. Altogether 12 direct hits were obtained on eight different ships. There were no losses of aircraft.

It is authoritatively stated in Batavia that Netherlands East Indies bombers attacked Japanese ships off Batik Papan on Saturday. One direct hit and several near misses scored were on a large passenger ship, which thereupon listed. Another large transport and a destroyer received direct hits. —British Official Wireless.

THREE TRANSPORTS SUNK.

FOUR SHIPS PROBABLY LOST. TWELVE OTHERS DAMAGED. (Rec. 11.20 a.m.) LONDON, Jan 25. The United States Navy Department reports a successful attack by American destroyers on an enemy convoy in the Straits of Macassar between Borneo and Celebes. It was in this area that Netherlands East Indies bombers made smashing attacks on Japanese warships and transports on Friday and Saturday. In a night attack the American destroyers torpedoed and shelled the enemy ships at close range; One large transport was blown up, another sunk, and a third left listing badly. The destroyers were only slightly damaged, and their casualties were only lour men wounded.

A full account of the successful Allied attack on a Japanese convoy in the Macassar Strait has been received from General Sir Archibald Wavell’s headquarters In Java. This communique states: “During the last 48 hours a large enemy convoy which was attempting to pass southward through Macassar Strait has been subjected to constant attacks by the Allied naval and air forces. “Duch aircraft began the action*’ on Friday atfernoon, when they scored a total of 12 direct hits with Heavy cud medium calibre bombs on eight enemy ships. The attack was resumed on Saturday by Dutch and American aircraft and American naval forces. During the air action two large enemy transport ships are known to have been sunk and two severely damaged, while a direct hit was scored on a destroyer. \

“In the naval action against the same convoy one enemy transport blow up and aijaifoer was left in a sinking condition. Bad visibility prevented full observation of the results of these attacks. We sustained only slight damage to one ship and the only casualties are 14 wounded. “A conservative estimate of the enemy’s total losses during this series of engagements is three ships sunk, four probably sunk, and no fewer than 12 damaged. “During the operations a force or Flying Fortresses of the American Army and Air Force was attacked by 12 enemy fighters. Five of these were shot down without loss to ourselves. Almost simultaneously Dutch aircraft in another part of the theatre shot down three and damaged’ two enemy aircraft, while the ground defences accounted for two more. “One Dutch officer pilot shot down two enemy aircraft in succession.” The losses inflicted on this Japanese convoy are the heaviest the enemy has suffered in any single operation since the war began.” Dutch Batavia 'Headquarters further report that eight ships which were hit during the first attack were all left burning. One direct and some near hits were made on a large passenger ship, which capsized. Another large transport ship received a heavy direct hit along the side, while three near hits were scored on the same ship.

Batavia also reports that during the past few days the enemy has been especially active over places in the outer provinces of the Dutch East Indies. Yesterday Amboina and the vicinity were bombed, blit with little result. Bombing and machine-gunning took place at Sorong and Manokwari. in New "Guinea, but little material damage was done. One woman was killed, one seriously wounded, and 1 one child killed and two slightly wounded. At Halong 11 persons were killed. An aerodrome in the outer provinces was twice attacked by fighters. - Anti-air-craft machine-guns shot two attackers out of the air, while anti-aircraft artillery probably shot down one fighter and damaged others. Dutch fighters shot down two enemy fighters. Last week it was announced that o large number of Japanese fighters attacked Palembang. The attacking aircraft were, in fact, bombers. These were strongly attacked by Dutch fighters, which pr-obably shot down one and severely damaged several others. Naval aircraft again bombed military establishments.—British Official Wireless.