AUSTRALIANS POUND ENEMY

Press, Volume LXXVIII, Issue 23588, 16 March 1942, Page 5

AUSTRALIANS POUND ENEMY

k (Received March 15, 11 20 p.m.) (U.P.A.) MELBOURNE, March If). Japanese aeroplanes yesterday attacked islands near Thursday Jr.land, .30 miles off the northern tip of Queensland. This is the nearest point enemy aircraft have approached to eastern Australia. Thursday Island is one of a chain stretching from Cape York across Torres Strait toward New Guinea. The Minister for Air (Mr A. S. Drakeford) stated that the raid on the islands, like that on Port Moresby on Fridav, was not on a large scale. No report is available of the damage or casualties. Heavy attacks were made on Japanese bases at Gasmata and Rabaul yesterday by Royal Australian Air Force machines. Runways, buildings, and grounded aircraft were bombed. At Gasmata the Australians flew in low through heavy anti-aircraft fire, and direct hits were scored on Japanese bombers. No enemy fighters opposed the Australians. Japanese forces have landed at one point o'n the island of, Kessa Buka in the Solomon group, according to a report at

Sydney. The islands in (he Thursday Island ercup include Banks. Mulgrave, Jervis, Long Horn. Tuesday, Wednesday, Goode, Hammond. Friday, and Prince of Wales. All have native populations of up to 500 persons of Papuan admixture. Cattle are raised on some, and natives on the others have co-oper-ated with the Japanese in pearling and in the trochus shell industry. In the Port Moresby raid on Friday the only casualty was one Australian’ pilot, who was wounded in a leg. The Royal Australian Air Force on Thursday inflicted heavy damage on enemy aeroplanes on Rabaul aerodrome. One heavy bomb exploded among 10 closely assembled Japanese aircraft, and it is believed to have

1 caused considerable damage. Five Jap- , andse fighters attempted to intercept , a returning Australian bomber, which : was subjected to 12 attacks, but man- ! aged to escape after damaging one • enemy aircraft. I Heavy Flying Fortress bombers have • destroyed two Japanese-held aero- ! dromes in New Guinea, according to an American war communique, which states: “In New Guinea on Wednesday i’ all buildings were destroyed and heavy damage was inflicted on runways at i one field. At the Lae harbour a direct i hit was made on a pier. Our bombers • were attacked by a formation of JapI anese fighting aeroplanes. Five enemy : aeroplanes were shot down. None of ! our bombers was damaged.' 1