RAIDS NORTH OF AUSTRALIA

Press, Volume LXXIX, Issue 23944, 11 May 1943, Page 5

RAIDS NORTH OF AUSTRALIA

NEW GUINEA AREAS ATTACKED ACTIVITY OF ALLIED BOMBERS (N.Z. Press Association—Copyright) (Rec. 10.20 p.m.) SYDNEY, May 10. In spite of bad weather Allied aeroplanes were active over 15 enemyoccupied areas in the south-west Pacific on Sunday. Liberators made a morning raid on Manokwari on the north coast of Dutch New Guinea, while another formation bombed Kaimana. Three Zeros attempted interception and one was shot down. A Liberator attacked a small cargo ship off Sorong on the western tip of Dutch New Guinea, while another Liberator bombed the village of Geser at the eastern end of Ceram Island, northeast of Amboina. Barges on shore were attacked. In New Britain Übili was bombed and strafed by Flying Fortresses on Saturday afternoon. These attacks are reported in General MacArthur’s communique to-day. Gasmata was twice raided by single bombers on Sunday. Five Japanese barges, about 50 feet in length, were strafed by a Flying Fortress near Hooke Island in Vitiaz Strait between New Guinea and New Britain. The barges put up strong antiaircraft fire. On the New Guinea mainland Wewak, Madang, Saidor, and Finschhafen on the enemy’s coastal supply route and the Komiatum area were bombed and strafed. Liberators made attacks before dawn on three aerodromes established by the Japanese near Wewak. Fragmentation and incendiary bombs were dropped in the dispersal areas. BIG SCORES OF VICTIMS SPITFIRE PILOTS AT DARWIN (Special Australian Corresp., N.Z.P.A.) (Rec. 6.30 p.m.) SYDNEY, May 10. Australian Spitfire pilots in the Darwin area are amassing big scores of Japanese aeroplanes shot down. The leading fighter ace of the Royal Australian Air Force (Wing Commander Clive Caldwell) brought his total kills to 24£ when he shot down two Zeros on May 2. Wing Commander Caldwell has now shot down four Zeros following his earlier successes as a fighter pilot in England and the Middle East. “The Japanese can bleat as much as they like, but it was not their aeroplanes or skill which caused us to lose so many Spitfires in the big battle," said Wing Commander Caldwell. “The Japanese had a lot of luck. In combat we had an eminently successful day. The storm got the better of us after the battle was over.’’

Wing Commander Caldwell added that there was no fighter to touch the Spitfire. “In speed and climbing power the Spitfire is superior to the Zero,” he said. “We can run past the Zeros and outfly them. But Spitfires can be shot down. The Japanese know how to use the guns on their aeroplanes.” Another successful Australian Spitfire pilot is Flying Officer A. P. Goldsmith, aged 22, who shot down his fifteenth enemy aeroplane on May 2. He had a fortunate escape during the battle, Temporarily blinded he fell out of his badly damaged Spitfire when it was travelling at 400 miles sn hour. Machine-gun bullets and cannon shells from Allied and Japanese fighters passed near him as he fell groping for the rip-cord of his parachute. He managed to open his parachute and landed in the sea 40 miles from land. He was rescued from his collapsible boat by a naval craft 24 hours later. AIR ATTACKS IN SOLOMONS DIRECT HIT" ON ENEMYDESTROYER (8.0. W.) RUGBY, May 9. A United States Navy communique states that Liberators on Thursday night attacked Japanese 'positions at Kahili on Fauro Island and the Ballalai Islands in the Shortlands area. On Thursday morning Dauntless bombers attacked several Japanese destroyers in the vicinity of Gizo Island in the New Georgia group. A destroyer was directly hit by a 10001b bomb and several near hits were observed. The same morning Avengers and Corsairs bombed and strafed Japanese positions on the island of Munda. PATROL ACTION IN NEW GUINEA AUSTRALIANS AMBUSH JAPANESE (Rec, 10.15 p.m.) SYDNEY, May 10. Australian infantry ambushed a Japanese patrol on the Komiatum trail south of Bobdubi in northern New Guinea on Saturday, killing 20, and wounding many others. The clash took place three-quarters of a mile south of the village, which was recently occupied by our troops cutting one Japanese supply line to their forward positions near Mubo. While it lasted the fighting was fierce. The Japanese are now exerting considerable pressure against our troops occupying Bobdubi, which lies behind the enemy’s advance postsi Grim fighting for its possession is reported to be in progress. FULL CARGO OF TROOPS SUNKEN JAPANESE TRANSPORT (Special Australian Corresp., N.Z.P.A.) (Rcc. 6.30 p.m.) SYDNEY, May 10. Several hundred Japanese troops were crammed in the small enemy transport sunk by Allied aeroplanes off Madang on Saturday. The small cargo vessel also sunk carried a deck cargo of motor vehicles. The two ships used the thick weather as a screen to reach Madang. Royal Australian Air Force Beaufighters and American Mitchells protected by Lightnings, attacked the ships. “I have never seen such a mass of troops as there were on the transport,” said a Beaufighter pilot. "They were crammed everywhere, unable to move, and just had to take the fire we pumped into them. We strafed the ship from end to end repeatedly.” Three direct hits by 5001b bombs from Mitchells almost blew the transport out of the water. The ship heeled over and sank, throwing the troops who survived the fighter attack into the water. Film Actor in Air Force.—The former film actor. Captain Clark Gable, made his first operational flight last Tuesday as gunnery officer in a Flying Fortress in the raid on Antwerp. Captain Gable made this observation trip on behalf of a new squadron of Flying Fortresses to which he is attached. He did not man a gun but he said that he had enjoyed the trip and had learned a lot which would be helpful to his squadron which has not yet been in action. Captain Gable’s aircraft came under heavy antiaircraft fire.—London. May 9.