ENEMY WARSHIPS OFF BUNA

Press, Volume LXXVIII, Issue 23812, 4 December 1942, Page 5

ENEMY WARSHIPS OFF BUNA

23 Escorting Zeros

Shot Down

SMALL LANDING POSSIBLE

(N.Z. Press Association—Copyright.)

(Rec. 10.30 p.m.) SYDNEY, Dec. 3. Japanese naval forces making their sixth attempt to land shock reinforcements and supplies for the beleagured Buna fortress garrison have been driven off. If any enemy reinforcements were put ashore, they are officially described as “small and not sufficient to alter the land situation.”

The most spectacular sea and air action of the New Guinea campaign raged about the enemy convoy. Large numbers of enemy fighters provided an air umbrella. Allied aircraft in ceaseless attacks shot down 23 Zeros and damaged many others. Our losses are stated to have been light, in spite of the enemy fighters and intensive anti-aircraft opposition. The full composition of the Japanese convoy has not been revealed, but it is stated to have been “shepherded by destroyers.” These destroyers were first sighted about midday on Tuesday off Gasmata, on the south coast of New Britain, and from that point onwards they were shadowed relentlessly and attacked continuously for somp 15 hours. Only one direct hit on a destroyer has been claimed, but several near misses are believed to have caused damage. Early on Wednesday morning the convoy was seen 40 miles off the coast from Buna, steaming north-west. The first attack on the Japanese ships was made by Flying Fortresses, which were engaged by 20 Zeros. In this opening clash five enemy fighters were shot down and a sixth probably destroyed. When North American bombers swept in to attack three more Zeros were destroyed. Low-level Attacks

Official reports released to-day do not list each successive action, but one of the most dramatic actions is stated to have occurred when the convoy came close to the coast at Buna under cover of darkness. As our bombers roared down _ in low-level attacks the enemy ships zig-zagged wildly in an effort to dodge the falling bombs. The darkness was split by rockets, flares, and intensive antiaircraft fire as the destroyers tried to beat off the raiding aircraft. At this stage it is possible that some reinforcements and perhaps stores were put ashore, but the number of troops could not have been large, since the enemy vessels were kept always on the niovfc. Th© gr©ftt©st number of barges sighted was 12.

Observers report having seen an explosion on one of the destroyers. In the late stages of the battle Beaufighters swooped low over the destroyers, spraying the decks with machine-gun fire. Havocs then took up the attack and just before daylight on Wednesday Liberator bombers delivered blows at the convoy as it steamed north. Throughout all these attacks, by night as well as by day, an umbrella of Zeros was over the enemy ships. The maintenance of this protection must have required the greatest number of Japanese fighters yet used in the New Guinea campaign.

MAGWE AERODROME

BOMBED

R.A.F. ATTACKS OVER BURMA

(Rec. 11 p.m.) LONDON, Dec. 3. A communique issued in India Says; “Yesterday a formation of Royal Air Force Blenheims, escorted by fighters, successfully attacked _ the Japanese aerodrome at Magwe, in Burma, Hits were scored on the main l runway;' aps bursts in the dispersal Anti-air-craft fire was encountered, but noenemy fighters.” . The communique also reports air attacks on railway stations on the line between Mandalay and Myittha. NO aircraft are missing from all these operations. ... Last night Wellington bombers over Burma' attacked the Toungoo aerodrome and Akyab. No s aircraft are missing. . „ A joint communique from 'New Delhi reports patrol activity on the Burma side of the Indian frontier. On two occasions Indian troops surprised Japanese parties, inflicting proportionately heavy casualties.

RUMOUR-MONGERS TO , BE PUNISHED

NEW REGULATIONS IN AUSTRALIA

(Rec. 7 p.m.) CANBERRA, Dec. 3. Rumour-mongers in Australia are now liable to a fine of £IOO or six months’ imprisonment, Or both, under National Security Regulations which have just been issued. It is an offence for anyone to spread a false report or to make any false statement “likely to create public alarm or despondency or in any way to interfere with the operation of the armed forces in Australia.” The onus of proving innocence is on the person against whom the charge is made.

NEW U.S. AIRCRAFT

TYPES

MANY MACHINES ON SECRET LIST

NEW YORK, Dec. 2

The United States has secret new aeroplanes that are “enough to make angels gasp,” according to Major Nathaniel Silsbee, of the United States Army Air Force. He told the American Society of Mechanical Engineers that a score of new fighters, bombers, and transports were under test, many of which had already been flown. These aeroplanes were still on the secret list. In addition to new designs, the Air Force had developed a method of making wholesale alterations to aeroplanes after manufacture. This was done in “modification centres.” of which there were a dozen, not all at aircraft factories. These centres made quick alterations demanded by battle conditions, such as installing different types of guns and refitting with landing-gear that would not crack up in desert fighting. "Such centres altered MajorGeneral James Doolittle’s aeroplanes for the bombing raid on Japan," he said. “They paint aeroplanes a dusty pink for the Egyptian desert and fit others for the Arctic regions. “America is not building aeroplanes on a strictly mass production basis, but is keeping production fluid. Nevertheless, there are large-scale orders in 1000 and even 5000 lots.”

U.S. SYNTHETIC RUBBER OUTPUT

(Rec. 7 p.m.) WASHINGTON. Dec. 2. The United States Secretary of Commerce (Mr Jesse H. Jones) told the House of Representatives Banking Committee that synthetic rubber production would reach about 1,00(5,000 tons a year by the end of 1943, The chairman of the committee (Mr H. B, Steagall) said the Government now Lad rubber stocks of 700,000 tons. He thought the rubber programme would be eased by the middle of 1943.

Resistance in Philippines.—Evidence that United Stales and Filipino troops are still holding out at some points m the Philippines is given in a Japanese report. The main centres of resistance are said to be on the islands of Samar, Cebu, Leyte, and Negros.— New York, Dec. 2.