Two Cruisers, One Destroyer

Press, Volume LXXIX, Issue 23914, 5 April 1943, Page 5

Two Cruisers, One Destroyer

HEAVY ALLIED AIR ATTACK

(N.Z. Press Association—Copyright) Concentrations of General Mac Arthur’s Air Force have again taken heavy toll of Japanese war and merchant shipping concentrations in the waters north of Australia. In attacks on Thursday and Friday, Fortresses and Liberators sank an enemy heavy cruiser, a light cruiser, and a large destroyer, and probably sank a 6000-ton merchantman, inflicted heavy damage on two other destroyers and a 10,000-ton merchantman, and probably damaged other warships and merchantmen. These are the stoutest blows struck against Japanese shipping since the Bismarck Sea battle early last month. The newest enemy concentration was attacked in the harbpur at Kavieng, and a simultaneous attack on the airfield prevented interference by Japanese fighters. The ships were first sighted in Kavieng harbour by an Allied reconnaissance aeroplane early on Thursday. They numbered 13 warships, known to include cruisers, and medium to large merchantmen aggregating about 40,000 tons.

At dusk on Thursday, when our big bombers made their first attacks they found six of the ships had left the harbour and were anchored along the south coast. These vessels were the targets chosen by the bombers. Two heavy explosions occurred on a 10 000-ton merchantman, indicating direct hits, while a 6000-ton merchantman was seen settling down by the bow after being straddled with 5001b bombs. The vessel is believed to have been sunk. Damaging near misses were scored against other vessels, but the gathering darkness prevented lull observation of the results. Surprise Attack Describing the attack on the enemy ships, General MacArthur’s communique states; “Striking just before dawn and taking the enemy largely by surprise, our heavy bombers executed a devastating low-level attack on a warship concentration In Silver Sound. Aided by flares, the attack was pressed home from medium level and mast-head height. Four direct hits from skip bombing with 5001b bombs were scored on a light cruiser. The vessel was destroyed and sank immedi“A heavy cruiser received a direct hit from a high-level attack, and almost Immediately afterwards received thnfe direct hits from a low-level attack. The vessel burst into flames from bow to stern and exploded violently, throwing debris 400 feet in the air. It sank rapidly by the bow, "A large destroyer was hit twice amidships and straddled by two other bombs, resulting in a large explosion. The vessel was mortally damaged and sinking. “A direct hit and two near misess were scored on two destroyers moored together, causing at least severe damage. “Two other warships, probably destroyers, were bombed, but darkness prevented observation of the results, i,. “Simultaneously with, the attack on I shipping the aerodrome was neutral- '<■ ised by a heavy bomber attack. In A consequence there was no attempt at [ i interception, and all our aeroplanes f returned.” The continued destruction of Japan- . ese shipping, again emphasising the value of greater Allied air striking power in the southern Pacific, may have forestalled a fresh enemy move. Warnings were sounded late last week of heavily increased Japanese shipping and air concentrations north of Australia. Allied airmen report that the enemy’s aeroplane strength at oper-

Stronger Concentrations Concentrations at Japanese bases in the New Britain and New Ireland area as well as New Guinea and the Dutch East Indies are becoming stronger daily, says the “New York World-Tele-gram” correspondent at General MacArthur’s headquarters. He quotes Allied air officers as saying that the Allied bomber and, long-range fighter strength Is Insufficient lo prevent the Japanese from strengthening their bases which ring northern Australia. Australian airmen recently returned from Britain told the correspondent that the best corrective would be British Stirling, Halifax, and Lancaster bombers. These carry huge bomb loads and are easier to handle at low levels than the American heavy bombers, which are built for high flying. Reports from Guadalcanar say the latest Japanese air attacks on the Henderson airfield are t|?e heaviest since the American forces won the battle for the island. Recently the enemy has been employing increasingly strong forces against this objective. A Washington report says that the Secretary of the Navy (Colonel Frank Knox) told a press conference that the latest attack was made by 30 to 40 Japanese aeroplanes. This confirmed American knowledge that the enemy had been building up air strength in the area for some time. He added that the raid might be viewed as a Japanese effort to retaliate for the daily punishment which American aeroplanes had dealt out to enemy bases in daily doses for many weeks.

I AIR/iS/f TACKS NORTH OP AUSTRALIA

ALLIED GAINS IN NEW GUINEA

GENERAL MACARTHUR’S COMMUNIQUE • (Special Australian Corresp., N.Z.P.A.) (Rec. 10.15 p.m.) SYDNEY, April 4. To-day’s communique from General MacArthur’s headquarters states: — North-western Sector Dutch New Guinea.—At Timika our medium units executed an effective low level bombing and strafing attack on enemy barges, motor transport, and supply dumps. Kai Islands.—At Langgoer our long range fighters executed a sweep ovftr the airfield, and sank a barge by strafing at Watdek. Tepimbar Islands.—At Salumlaki pur medium bombers and later one of cur heavy units bombed the town, starting large fires in the building area and along the waterfront. North-eastern Sector Dyaul Island.—One of our heavy units bombed and hit ? 6000-ton enemy cargo ship heading towards Rabaul. New Britain.—At Open Bay, Gasmata, one of our'heavy units bombed enemy shore installations with the aid of flares. One of our medium units bombed and strafed the waterfront at night from a low altitude, completely demolishing storehouses along the wharf. Cape Gloucester.—One of our medium units at night bombed and strafed the aerodrome and dispersal areas. New Guinea.—At Madang one of our medium bombers bombed and strafed the town at night, starting fires. At Mubo one of our heavy units bombed ‘he beach area. Our attack aeroplanes three times made low level sweeps over the area bombing and strafing enemy positions at Kitchen Creek, Salus, Duali, and Lababia. \ ■

PROGRESS BY LAND FORCES OCCUPATION OF MOROBE (Special Australian Corresp., N.Z.P.A.) (Rec. 10 p.m.) SYDNEY, April 4. Further gains have been made by the Allied land forces working their way westward along the northern New Guinea coast. A spokesman at General MacArthur’s headquarters announces the occupation of Morobe, 65 miles south-east of Salamaua. Morobe, at the mouth of the Waria river, is 20 miles across the Papuan border. This process of cleaning out the Japanese from pockets along the coast has been going on since the end of the Papuan campaign. Recently it was announced that the Mambare sector on the Papua-north-east New Guinea border had been cleared of the enemy, and that since the end of the Buna fighting 700 Japanese had been killed by our troops In their 80 miles coastal push, , , , . Combined with this land drive. Allied aircraft are increasing the pressure on the beleaguered Japanese garrisons in northern New Guinea. Sweeps have again been made over the enemy’s new coastal supply road.

AUSTRALIAN LOSSES IN NEW GUINEA

SYDNEY, April 3. The Commander of the Allied land forces in the south-west Pacific (General Sir Thomas Blarney) has revealed that 3000 Australians had been killed in the New Guinea fighting. This was only a small percentage of the enemy losses, as Australian soldiers themselves had buried at least 9000 Japanese dead. "Victories such as those in the Owen Stanley Range and at Buna and Gona were won only by men with the conscious superiority of soldiers of the type of the 9th Division,” said General Blarney. “It is a peculiar thing about the Army that it is never any good until it is a veteran army.” General Blarney praised the cooperation between the Americans and the Australians in the combat zones, and declared that Australia, with a population of several millions, had kept more men in the field than any other part of the Empire as well as providing them with equipment.

AIR ACTIVITY IN SOLOMONS

JAPANESE SHIPS ATTACKED

R i%? P m ’ ) WASHINGTON. April 3. c* * United States Navy communique states that in the south Pacific on "Pnl 2 Lightning fighters attacked , d set fire to a small Japanese cargo •essel anchored off Vella Lavella Isa ln tfl - e New Georgia group. “V v earlier communique states that *. tne south Pacific during Wednesday ' ll ßht a C/Aalina patrol bomber atfiv e d. a Japanese surface force of ~” e destroyers and one cargo vessel A*. vest of Kolumbangara Island, the same time Army Liberators earned out a low altitude attack against the same force. The results not observed. ‘During the morning between 30 a nd 40 Zeros were engaged by Wildr, j a , nd Lightnings north-west of Sixteen enemy aeroplanes were destroyed. Six of ours were lost, but two of the pilots were rescued. “A force of Dauntless dive-bombers escorted by fighters, attacked Japanese positions in the Suavanao Planta* Pon south-eastward of Rekata Bay. •ine results were unobserved.” Railway Expert Dead.—The death nas occurred of Sir Haviland Hiley, an expert on railway matters. He was general manager of the New Zealand Government Railways from 1913 to 1919.—London, April 2.

JAPANESE IN ALEUTIANS

ATTACKS ON ISLAND BASES

(8.0. W.) RUGBY, April 3. A United States Navy communique states that in the North Pacific on April 1 Army Liberators and Mitchell bombers escorted by Lightning fighters made four attacks against Japanese installations on Klska, In the Aleutian Islands. Hits were scored in the enemy’s main camp area. An earlier communique states that In addition to two attacks on March 30, reported in an earlier communique. Kiska received two more attacks that day by bomber and fighter forces. Heavy explosions and large fires were observed.