SHIPS DESTROYED

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 62, Issue 123, 6 March 1942, Page 3

SHIPS DESTROYED

AMERICAN ATTACK BY AIR. SURPRISE IN THE PHILIPPINES. TOTAL OF 30,000 TONS. (United Press Association—Copyright.) LONDON. March 4. More than 30,000 tons of enemy shipping were destroyed when General MacArtfmr’s small air force in the Philippines made a. surprise raid on Japanese shipping and harbour installations in Subic Bay. north of the Bataan Peninsula. Several enemy vessels were destroyed. including one of 10,0(10 tons, one of 12,000 tens, and another of 8000 tons. Two motor launches of 100 tons each were also destroyed, and many smaller craft were damaged. Large fires were started in the docks on Alongapo and Grand islands. These were followed by many heavy explosions among enemy stores. There has been practically yo ground activity on the Bataan 'Peninsula.

A THOUSAND VICTIMS. THREE TRANSPORTS SUNK. NO ENEMY PLANES PRESENT. (Rec. 10.50 a.m.) LONDON, March 5. A Washington communique states: “General MacArthur reports that three large enemy vessels which' were sunk in Subic Bay by our supriso air attack yesterday have been identified as transports loaded with Japanese troops. It is believed that 1000 enemy soldiers were drowned when the vessels sank or were killed as the result of explosions of tho ammunition carried aboard the ships. None of our aircraft was damaged. “Tt. is the first time smeo tho war began that no enemy aircraft were present during an action.”—-British Official Wireless.

WASHINGTON MYSTIFIED. (Rec. 9.40) NEW YORK, March 5. The Washington correspondent of the, “New York Times” says that General MacArthwr’s report concerning the air attach against Japanese ships baffled informed circles, as all the available reports indicate that no transports carrying aeroplanes have reached the Philippines. Militarists hint that General MacArthur might have used reconstructed damaged planes, hut the mystery remains as to what landing field was used, because Bataan, positively does not include sufficient level ground for starting and landing bombers. Some speculate on the possibility that an American aircraft-carrier penetrated to the Philippines, but officials decline, to comment.