SURPRISE RAIDS

Press, Volume LXXIX, Issue 23941, 7 May 1943, Page 5

SURPRISE RAIDS

Enemy Bases In China HEAVY AMERICAN ATTACKS (N.Z. Press Association—Copyright) (Rec. 11 p.m.) NEW YORK,. May, 5. The heaviest American bombing onslaught vet made on Japanese bases in the Far East is announced from United States Army Air Force Headquarters in China. The attacks made on May 4 were on Hainan Island and the dock area of Haiphong. These surprise raids, which are the first direct blows against Japan, pointing eventually towards Tokyo, mark a new phase of the aerial war in the far Pacific, says the correspondent of the Associated Press. The attacks were made with Liberators recently sent from the United States to augment Major-General Chennault’s medium bombers and fighters. Both Hainan and Haiphong are important centres on the sea and air routes from Japan to the south Pacific.

The Japanese airport of Samah at the southern end of Hainan was practically wiped out. An immense fire .was started in the oil stores. Four hangars were blown up and a barracks as well as naval installations were hit. Mitchell medium bombers made the attack on Haiphong, which was shrouded in clouds, preventing full observation. One huge explosion was ob. served in the dock warehouse area where an ammunition dump is believed to have blown up. The raids apparently completely surprised the Japanese. There was no fighter interception. Some Zeros were sighted near Haiphong, but {he enemy aeroplanes did not attempt to attack. All the American aeroplanes got safely back to their bases. CRISIS IN SOFIA REPORTED MANY ARRESTS MADE ATTACKS ON GERMAN ELEMENTS LONDON. May 5. “Something serious is happening in Sofia, which is sealed off from the outside world,” says the Istanbul correspondent of the British United Press, “All external communications were broken last night, but before this happened some details of a virtual state of siege leaked out. “A curfew has been imposed, all traffic has been stopped, and only bakeries and dairies are allowed to open. Only children and servants are allowed on the streets at stipulated times, and they must be accompanied by soldiers. The authorities’ excuse is the need to arrest the assassins of the former police chief, Panteff, but this is merely the latest in a series of attacks against pro-German elements throughout Bulgaria. “The secret ‘Liberty Front’ organisation has issued a manifesto stating: ‘Members of the Liberty Front shot Panteff as punishment for his treason against democracy. Other traitors will end the same way.’ The manifesto called for the expulsion of the Germans from Bulgaria. “About 700 persons are reported to have been arrested in Sofia after a May Day demonstration. Similar disturbances were caused throughout the country, in spite of police opposition. The Berlin radio announced that measures were being taken in Sofia to wipe out a gang of foreign agents who had recently been attacking Bulgarian radio announced to-night that the curfew in Sofia had been lifted to-day, having been operative for two days. The radio added that more than 1000 arrests had been made in Sofia during a two days’ police search. NEUTRALITY OF EIRE STATEMENT MADE BY MINISTER TO U.S. (Rec. 8 p.m.) NEW YORK. May 5. “If Eire abandoned neutrality it would mean the destruction of the Irish race,” said Mr Robert Brennan, Irish Minister in the United States, to the press. He added: “I can think of no price we could receive which would compensate us for going into the war. We have in our hands now power to remedy everything except the partitloMr Brennan denied that Eire was neutral because she hated Britain. Asked what Eire would do by Germany, Mr Brennan replied: We would put up a hell of a fight.” Asked if he thought the Allies would come to Ireland’s aid if she were attacked, he replied: “Naturally. It would be in their own interest to do S °Asked if Eire expected anything at the peace conference table, he replied: “Oh. yes. We expect a just peace which will benefit the entire world.” Mr Brennan acknowledged that if Britain were defeated the Irish economy would suffer. ATLANTIC CONVOY PROTECTION BRITISH AND CANADIAN AIR FORCES (Roc. 7 p.m.) SYDNEY, May 6. A complete aerial umbrella over the entire north Atlantic will result from an agreement between Britain and Canada, which has been announced by the office of the Canadian High Commissioner in Australia. Aeroplanes will protect British trade convoys travelling between north-west Atlantic ports and the United Kingdom. New long-range Canadian bombers and American machines will link up with bombers operating from Britain so that vessels will be under constant air protection all the way across. The United States retains strategic responsibility for the western Atlantic. The official announcement of the new arrangement says that the United States forces which have been figuring in the North Atlantic anti-submarine warfare have many other duties to perform. The protection of convoys in the North. Atlantic therefore becomes the responsibility of the British and Canadian forces. However, the United States Army Air Force will continue to furnish certain aeroplanes, crews, and materials to assist the British and Canadian forces. The United States will also provide some escort vessels. ALLIED SHIPPING LOSSES LONDON, May 5. The director of the United States Office of War Information (Mr Elmer Davis) announced to-day that Allied merchant shipping losses in April were only half those of March. German claims to have sunk 500,000 tons of shipping, he said, were considerably exaggerated. He gave a warning, however, that heavy losses at sea could be expected until the programme for the building of escort vessels was under way. “Germany’s U-boat fleet in the North Atlantic is undoubtedly increasing greatly, but the combined attacking power of the Canadian and British Navies and air forces will eventually drive the enemy from the sea. much sooner, perhaps, than many dare hope.” said Admiral L. W. Murray, the re-cently-appointed Canadian Command-er-in-Chief in the North Atlantic, according to a message from Ottawa.