RABAUL CUT OFF

Press, Volume LXXVIII, Issue 23545, 24 January 1942, Page 7

RABAUL CUT OFF

Garrison’s Fate Unknown

EVACUATION OF CIVILIANS

(Received January 23, 10 p.m.) MELBOURNE, January 23. Communications with Rabaul, in Kew Britain, ceased yesterday afternoon after the town had again been raided by Japanese aircraft. Forty bombers and fighters took part in two separate attacks. At 3.30 p.m. yesterday 11 Japanese ships, including naval forces, were sighted off Wanton Island, about 15 miles north-west of Rabaul. It is believed that the wireless and telegraph stations at Rabaul have been demolished by Australian forces, and that the town has been evacuated. In the absence of definite information from Rabaul itself, the fate of the garrison stationed in the town is unknown. It is believed that the men were unable to leave the island, but have retreated from the town. More than 800 women and children were evacuated from Rabaul to Australia in nine days by a fleet of civil airliners escorted by Royal Australian Air Force aircraft. In a number of cases the aircraft carried record loads. One airliner, which normally carries 21 passengers and a crew of three, transported 53 women and children in flight. On one of the last flights the airliner arrived at Rabaul an hour after the Japanese had flown over. It was loaded quickly and left with a strong Royal Australian Air Force escort.

The Minister for Air (Mr A. S. Erakeford) disclosed that in a raid on Rulolo in New Guinea, several aircraft W e re destroyed on the ground. Raids {J a ye also been made on islands in the Solomons group. The Minister for the Army (Mr F. "*■ Forde), who is Acting-Prime MinIster during the absence of Mr Curtin. Disclosed to-night that three aircraft carriers were included in the Japanese fleet, as well as smaller naval craft.

UNTRAINED MEN SENT TO HONG KONG

INQUIRY planned in CANADA (Received January 23. 9 p.m.) fw „ . OTTAWA. January 22. Vcl ■ r ! m e Minister (Mr W. L. Macrte"zie King) told the House of Com„ato ik *.a committee would investicircumstances under which a men were sent to Hong .„. n f r la f ' ,f he Canadian Army with°ut - Conservative Leader (Mr R. B. «anson) said the statement by the •imster for Defence (Colonel J. L. Sm SOn) on the Hong Kong expedinp vea^e d a very serious situation Jsardmg the training of manpower, v ? * ac t that mechanical transport * n ~ n °t reached Hong Kong called lor an investigation,

destruction of OIL WELLS

j DUTCH ACTION IN

BORNEO

>. LONDON, January 22. nil ,V ut ch have destroyed the great »" wells at Balik Papan, in Borneo. ht«% Wells - tho largest in the Dutch j«« Indies, employed 20,000 workmen, stated in Batavia that the wells '?* been made useless because the "Panese were preparing to attack in ''eat force.