TOLL ON ENEMY

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 63, Issue 173, 4 May 1943, Page 3

TOLL ON ENEMY

ALLIES’ ACTIVITY IN PACIFIC.

SHIPS AND PLANES DESTROYED OPERATIONS DURING APRIL

(Special Australian Correspondent N.Z.P.A.)

(Rec. 12.5 p.m.) SYDNEY, This Day. During April aircraft of the Southwest Pacific Command sank or damaged 93,000 tons of Japanese shipping, destroyed 60 aircraft for certain and destroyed 28 morej The high monthly average of losses inflicted on the Japanese tvas maintained despite the fact that during the last fortnight the weather was so unfavourable as to cause virtual suspension of offensive operations in the entire north-east-ern sector on a large scale.

Not a single American bomber was lost in the raids on Japanese shipping during the month, when the sinkings were on heavy cruiser, one light cruiser, two cargo vessels, one oil carrier and one submarine. Four destroyers, two transports and 10 cargo ships were damaged. New skip bombing technique accounted for almost all these successes.

This brings the total Japanese shipping destroyed in the Pacific area since August' I 'l last year to 654,980 tons. Of this 189,230 tons has been definitely destroyed. Twentysix of the Japanese planes destroyed during April were shot down by Allied bombers that -were attacking enemy ships or bases. The remainder were destroyed by Allied fighters which intercepted mass enemy raids on objectives in New Guinea during the middle of the month. . About 25 per cent of the Japanese raiding strength was destroyed or probably destroyed.