RUSSIAN ATTACK AT IASY

Press, Volume LXXX, Issue 24280, 10 June 1944, Page 4

RUSSIAN ATTACK AT IASY

LOCAL SUCCESS CLAIMED

IMPORTANT HEIGHT CAPTURED (N.Z. Press Association—Copyright)

(Rec. 11.10 pm.) , LONDON. June 1, “North-east and north of lasy our troops yesterday fought to improve their positions,” said the Moscow supplementary communique. “One unit captured an important height. The enemy’s attempts to restore the situation failed.”

"The Russians north of lasy heavily attacked positions which the German and Rumanian forces had newly gained,” said an earlier Official German News Agency report. “The Rus., sians, with tank and infantry formations over a broad front, succeeded in gaining a few kilometres of ground on the central and left sectors, but a majority of the Russian attacks on the right flank were repelled, and German counter-attacks by the evening had regained most of the ground. The Russians on the left flank have renewed their attacks and fighting is continuing.” German attacks which were launched on Wednesday by “smaller” enemy tank and infantry forces northwest and north of lasy, were’ repelled. according to a Russian communique. Soviet aircraft raided lasy again on Wednesday night in force. They wrecked several aircraft and left dumps burning. ENEMY CRUISER CRIPPLED AIR ATTACK OFF NEW GUINEA AMERICAN PROGRESS ON BIAK ISLAND (Special Australian Corresp., N.Z.P.A.) (Rec. 11.10 p.m.) SYDNEY, June I, Two direct hits with 5001b bombs crippled a Japanese heavy cruiser attacked by Liberators at Waigeo Island, 30 miles north of the western tip of Dutch New Guinea on Tuesday. The bombs struck near the bow and a number of near misses were also registered. The Liberators probably destroyed one of 10 intercepting fighters which attempted to beat off their attack. With the support of tanks as well as naval and ground artillery, the Americans on Biak Island at the mouth of Geelvink Bay, Dutch New Guinea, are now reducing the remaining enemy defences east of Mokmer airfield. The aerodrome was captured on Wednesday and already it is being repaired and extended for use by Allied aeroplanes.

Strongpoints still held by the enemy are in coastal caveS and cliff positions. The troops occupying them are cut off by the American capture of the airfield.

No more than 300 Japanese, split into scattered fugitive bands, are estimated to remain on Manus Island in the Admiralty group. Natives are leading the American patrols engaged in the hunting down of Japanese remnants. The Admiralty Islands have been converted into an important base for General MacArthur’s bombers attacking Japanese installations in the Carolines. Truk lies 725 air miles north-west of Manus Island.

NO JAPANESE PLANES SEEN

CAROLINE ISLANDS AREA (Rec. 11.30 p.m.) NEW YORK. June 9.

“American aeroplanes patrolling the remaining Japanese-held atolls in the Marshall Islands have not seen' a single enemy aeroplane aloft since January 31,” said Major-General Willis Hale, commander of the Joint Central Pacific Land-based Air Force. General Hgje said anti-aicraft installations had been so battered that the Japnese were able to send up only weak, ineffective flak against naval search aeroplanes which keep the islands, under constant surveillance, lest the Japanese attempt to evacuate survivors. Fear of an American naval driye against the Japanese homeland has led Japan to switch the naval construction programme to defence type vessel according to high Chinese sources whose information is obtained fr# captured Japanese officers and other intelligence reports, says the New York “Herald-Tribune.” Japan has entirely halted the construction of carriers and cruisers but not battleships. Japan hll perhaps 11 serviceable battleships, compared with eight at thfe beginning of the war, and is feverishly building submarine chasers and a large number of fast destroyers which cap be used against an invasion fleet. Japanese aircraft construction is now 2000 4 month, compared with 1500 before tn* war. NEW SOUTH WALES CABINET CHANGES IN MCKELL MINISTRY (Rec. 5.5 p.m.) SYDNEY, June »• The New South Wales Minister of Education (Mr C. R. Evatt) has been reduced to an assistant Minister m the new State Cabinet, which .was swbrn in to-day. The new Minister of Education is Mr Rs J. Heflron, a New Zealander, who was Minister of National Emergency Services in the first McKell Ministry. : v. Mr E. H. Graham, the only newxncmber of the Cabinet, has been given the portfolio of agriculture, previously held by Mr W. F. Dunn, who becomes Minister of Conservation. Mr J. McGirr becomes Minister of Housing, a new portfolio. Mr C. C. Lazzarini, an assistant Minister, was dropped from the official “ticket.”

The hew Ministry is as follows: Premier and Treasurer, Mr W. J. Me* Kell; Deputy-Premier, Secretary ox Mines and Minister of National Emergency Services, Mr J. M. Baddeley; Minister of Education, Mr R. J. Heflfoni Attorney-General, Mr C. E. Martin; Minister of Cohservation, Mr W. *; Dunn; Minister of Social Welfare and Minister of Labour and Industry, »r Hamilton Knight; Minister of Justice and vice-president of the Executive Council, Mr R. R. Downing Minister of Local Government and Works, W J. J. Cahill; Minister of Transport, Mr M. O’Sullivan; Minister of Agriculture. Mr E. H. Graham: assistant Ministers, Messrs C. R. Evatt and W. Dickson,

MOSQUITOES MADE IN AUSTRALIA

DELIVERY TO AIR FORCE (Rec. 5.5 p.m.) SYDNEY, June Twin-engined Mosquito bombers are being made in Australia, and the first deliveries have already gone to tne Royal Australian Air Force. This has been announced by the Minister ox Aircraft Production (Senator D. Cameron). The Mosquito, of wood ana metal construction, is one of the fastest machines of its kind. It can be used as a fighter, fighter-bomber, or bomber. As a bomber it can carry a 4000-pound block-buster. The Minister also revealed that plans were well advanced for the early production in Australia of the fourengined Lancaster bomber.

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