VITAL PLANT HIT

Auckland Star, Volume LXXVI, Issue 36, 12 February 1945, Page 5

VITAL PLANT HIT

JAVA POWER STATION Australian Planes' Attack Equals R.A.F.'s Rhine Dam Busting N.Z. Press Association—Copyright Rec. 1 p.m. MELBOURNE, this day. Australian-manned Liberators on Thursday so accurately and destructively bombed the Mendalin-Siman power station in occupied Java that repairs to this vital plant seem impossible. It was the Liberators' second 1000-mile daylight strike on this objective from their base in north-west Australia. The first attack on this target by the same R.A.A.F. formation late last month was described as the South-west Pacific equivalent of the Ruhr dam busting mission of the R.A.F. in May, 1943.

In their second attack the Liberators dropped 5001b demolition bombs. Direct hits were scored on the Mendalin and Siman power houses, which provide electricity for the highly industrialised area of Java. They are among the world's largegt power houses. Two Japanese fighters attacked the Liberators but were driven off.

The crews of an R.A.A.F. Mosquito squadron carried out the reconnaissance and photography for planning both raids.