RECORD RAID

Press, Volume LXXX, Issue 24226, 6 April 1944, Page 5

RECORD RAID

400 Tons of Bombs On Hollandia ENEMY'S RESERVE SMASHED (N.Z. Press Association— Copyright) (Rec. 7 p.m.) SYDNEY, April 4. In the heaviest air attack ever recorded in the south-west Pacific area the Japanese base at Hollandia, Dutch New Guinea, was hit by 400 tons of explosives in a raid by General MacArthur's bombers against three aerodromes. The bombers and their strong fighter escort used 275.000 rounds of ammunition in strafing runs. The attacks were pressed home from low altitude by wave after wave of bombers. "Runways were left unserviceable and equipment and installations heavily damaged," says to-day's South-west Pacific Headquarters communique. "Smoke from burning aircraft and fuel dumps totally obscured the target. In the air we destroyed 26 enemy fighters for the loss of one aircraft. The enemy's strong air reserves, built up in this area, have been destroyed at negligible cost to us. "Of 288 aircraft present in the area on March 30, all have been demolished or irreparably damaged." Rabaul, raided again, was hit with more than 120 tons of bombs. A spokesman at advanced South Pacific Headquarters announced that a record of 440 air attacks was launched against enemy targets in the south Pacific in March by the Army, Navy, Marine, and New Zealand air forces, in Major-General Fitch's command. The Japanese took :o the air only six times with groups of 10 aeroplanes or more. Airborne Japanese aeroplanes were seen only 24 times. The Allied raids covered more than 2000 miles, and 4360 tons A bombs were dropped in 235 attacks. One hundred- and thirty Japanese aeroplanes were destroyed in March, 58 in the air and 72 on the ground, for the loss of 23 Allied aeroplanes. MID-PACIFIC AIR OFFENSIVE DAILY ATACKS MADE BIRST REPORTS ON PELEW RAIDS (Rec. 10 p.m.) WASHINGTON. April 4. The daily attacks on enemy bases in the Carolines and Marshalls continue. A Pacific Fleet communique reports that Liberators bombed Dublon and Eten Island, in the Truk atoll, on Sunday night. Airfields at Ponape were bombed and strafed. Three enemy positions in the Marshalls were bombed. Runways were atj tacked and a small ship and a "auck" were set on fire. All the United States aircraft returned. Bombers from the Solomons have again raided Dublon Island, in the Truk atoll, says a Sydney message. Of 60 intercepting Zeros seven were shot down, with two others probably destroyed. Five Allied aircraft were lost. The United States task force which recently operated in the western Carplines sank or damaged all the Japanese ships anchored off Pelew, Woleai, and Yap Islands, and sank three others close by accorcing to a statement by the United States Secretary of the Navy (Colonel Frank Knox). Pelew Island is 906 miles south-east of Manila. 1050 miles west of Truk, and about 2000 miles from Tokyo. Colonel Knox's reference to Yap and Woleai was the first announcement that these islands were attacked in the tl-ree-day raid on March 31, and April 1. Woleai has a good anchorage. Colonel Knox revealed that the American task' force sank one Japanese warship near Pelew and two near Woleai. Reports indicated no, damage to American warships.

First reports indicated that United States air losses were 11 bombers, eight torpedo-bombers, and eight fighters.

Colonel Knox said that it was impossible to estimate the number of Japanese ships caught at the anchorages and he added that only meagre details had been received because of the radio silence. Additional information was expected shortly. He said that an interesting sidelight to the raid on Pelew was an air raid alarm in Manila. "We do not know whether one of our aeroplanes went over Manila and threatened them, or if they were of this attack close by," he said. SOUTH PACIFIC COMMAND ADMIRAL HALSEY MAY LEAVE (Rec. 12 mid.) NEW YORK, April 5. Admiral W. F. Halsey, Allied Commander in the south-west Pacific, is expected to leave the area shortly. It is pointed out that his assignment is practically completed, and observers suggest that the forces which have been under his command may be absorbed in the mid-Pacific and southwest Pacific areas, since their own area now contains no objectives. Sufficient strength would be retained to keep the enemy remaining in Bougainville and the Bismarck archipelago blockaded. DISTURBANCE IN SIN-KIANG "GRAVE CONCERN IN CHUNGKING " (Rec. 7 p.m.) CHUNGKING, April 4. In spite of the Government denial that Chinese forces entered Outer Mongolia, the correspondent of the Associated Press says he learns that some kind of military disturbance has occurred in Sin-Kiang. The Chinese authorities in Chungking have declined to make any statement, but, says the correspondent, "it is' obvious that the situation in SinKiang is causing grave concern in Chungking." BOMBING RECORD IN MARCH CONGRATULATIONS TO SQUADRONS (8.0. W.) RUGBY, April 4. Air Chief Marshal Sir Arthur Harris has sent the following message to the Royal Air Force Bomber Command: "Please convey to all operational squadrons my congratulations on the outstanding achievements of March. They may well be proud of the tremendous blows they have dealt the enemy during this vital period. "All previous records fpr sorties and bomb tonnages on objectives in Germany, as on targets as a whole, were far surpassed. This was achieved in spite of difficult weather, and in face of the bitterest opposition, it was the lowest casualty rate for the last 13 months." TIRPITZ HIT STOCKHOLM ACCOUNT OF DAMAGE (Rec. 1 a.m.) LONDON, April 5. "Fleet Air Arm aircraft scored three bomb hits on the German battleship Tirpitz in Alten Fjord, Norway, a few days ago," says the Stockholm paper, "Afton Tidningen." "The aeroplanes hit the command deck, the gun tower, and the engine-room, killing 100 of her crew and wounding 200. Big fires i were ■ till burning on Monday night." i /y