MANILA RAIDED

Press, Volume LXXX, Issue 24370, 23 September 1944, Page 7

MANILA RAIDED

The raid, which took place on Wednesday, was the first attack by American forces on the, Manila area and was made in face of a big umbrella of Japanese interceptors. A United States Pacific Fleet communique says: "Carrier aircraft swept Luzon, striking in great force at shipping in Manila Bay and Subig Bay, and installations on Clark field, Nichols field, and the Cavite naval base. The enemy lost 110

aircraft shot down and 65 destroyed on the ground. A large destroyer-leader, four large oil tankers, a small oil tanker, two large cargo ships, a medium cargo snip, and two small cargo vesels were sunk. Moreover, one destroyer, two large oil tankers, a large transport, 10 large cargo ships, 12 medium cargo ships, and a floating dock were probably sunk or damaged. “In addition to the enemy’s heavy shipping and aircraft losses much damage was done to military objectives on and adjacent to Clark field and Nichols field. This superlatively successful attack apparently caught the enemy completely by surprise.” American surface ships suffered no da The S Tokyo radio has announced that the puppet President (Paurel) has declared martial law in the Philippines.

THE HALMAHEKAS

ENEMY EVACUATION THOUGHT LIKELY

MOROTAI BEACHHEAD ENLARGED

(Special Australian Corresp., N.Z.P.A.) (Rec. 10.45 p.m.) SYDNEY, Sept. 22. The Japanese may be evacuating the Halmaheras, which have lost much of their defence value since the Americans invaded Morotai, at the northeastern tip of the group and within 300 miles of the Philippines. The first official indication of this possibility is given to-day in General -MacArthur’s communique which reports the sinking of a 1000-ton ship loaded with enemy troops and supplies in the waters north of Morotai. A strike against a small convoy, comprising a freighter and a number of barges, was made on Monday night by three Allied patrol torpedo-boats. The ships were on a northerly course, which indicated that they could have come from Halmahera. They were the first enemy vessels sighted in the area since the invasion of Morotai a week ago, It is possible an attempt is being made to withdraw Japanese personnel from Halmahera to strengthen new oases along the Allied route to Tokyo. On Morotai American troops are meeting the first organised Japanese resistance. Pockets of small numbers of enemy soldiers are fighting stubbornly. The American beachhead now has a perimeter 12 miles long with ample space for airfield construction. Captured Japanese stores include clothing, food, and medical supplies.

JAPANESE SHIPS SUNK

(Rec. 5.5 p.'m.) CHUNGKING. Sept. 21. “Two. Liberators, using ‘special equipment,’ sank six Japanese vessels totalling 14,200 tons in Formosa strait on September. 19,” says General Stilwell’s communioue. “The 14th Air Force alone sank 74,600 tons of shipping from September ,9 to September 19, and also probably sank an enemy cruiser and submarine.”

BOMBERS OVER GERMANY

RAILWAY YARDS AND OIL PLANT HIT (8.0. W.) RUGBY. Sept. 21. Fortresses and Liberators in medium strength to-day (Thursday) bombed a synthetic oil plant at Ludwigshaven, railway marshalling yards at Mainz and Coblenz, and other targets in western Germany. The bombing was visual at Mainz, both visual and by instruments at Coblenz, and by instruments at Ludwigshaven. * Forces of Thunderbolts ana Mustangs escorted the bombers and supported Allied aircraft continuing the air-borne invasion of Holland. Three bombers are missing from the attacks on western Germany. No fighter opposition was met and flak was meagre to moderate. The fighters supporting the air-borne operations encountered moderate German opposition in the air. They shot down 20 German aeroplanes for the loss of four Thunderbolts.

U.S. REPRESENTATIVE IN PARIS

“TO DE FACTO FRENCH AUTHORITY ” (Rcc. 9 p.m.) WASHINGTON, Sept. 22. The United States State Department has announced that Mr Roosevelt has appointed Mr Jefferson Caffery, at present United States Ambassador to Brazil, as United States representative to the de facto French authority now established in Paris.

The Associated Press says: "The announcement makes it clear that the American position has not changed regarding General de Gaulle's Committee of National Liberation.”

Attack By Carrier

Aircraft

JAPANESE PROCLAIM MARTIAL LAW

(N.Z. Press Association—Copyright) (Rec. 11.15 p.m.) WASHINGTON, Sept. 22. Manila, the capital and chief port of the Philippines, has been raided by carrier-borne aircraft of the United States Pacific Fleet. The Japanese lost 110 aeroplanes in combat, and many others were destroyed on the ground. Eleven ships were sunk and 26 were damaged. Fifteen American aeroplanes were lost.

Details of the damage caused at Manila have not been revealed, but it is stated that after the raid the Japanese declared martial law throughout the Philippines.

For several weeks Allied bombers of General. Mac Arthur’* South-west Pacific Command have launched attacks on Mindanao, the southernmost island of the Philippines. Min* danao was heavily raided on Monday, and since then recon* naissance flights over the southern Philippines have bee# reported.

DEMOBILISATION IN BRITAIN

PARTIAL RELEASE ON GERMANY’S DEFEAT

REALLOCATION OF MANPOWER

(8.0. W.) RUGBY, Sept. 81. There will be no general demobilicgtion of Britain’s armed forces until thS total defeat of the Axis Powers, in* eluding Japan, throughout the world. There will, nevertheless, be a partial release when Germany is defeated, and a reallocation of manpower between the services and industry. The needs of industry will be concerned mainly with housing. Meanwhile the call-up of men to the forces will be continued. A war gratuity scheme is to be announced.

These are the main points from a Government White Paper setting out the scheme for demobilisation. The underlying principle is that general demobilisation of either the armed forces or war industry cannot take place until the end of the war against the Axis Powers and their total defeat throughout the world. Therefore, mobilisation of manpower by the nation will have to continue until the war, including the subjugation of japan, is finished. With the defeat of Germany the country will pass to a new phase of the war, but the interim period must be subject to overriding military needs. These will govern the extent of releases from the forces, but taking the services as a whole, it is anticipated that it will be possible to reallocate manpower on a substantial scale_ between the three services and industry. Military needs will also govern the volume of munitions and other essential production. While this will decrease during the interim period, requirements will still be very large and there is no doubt that until well after the end of the war against Japan there'will be a shortage of labour in Britain.

Classes to be Released During the interim period the call* up of men to the forces will be con* tinued. while at the same time men and women will be released from the forces for return to industry. The release from the forces is intended to be on two distinct bases:—

(1) Age and length of service basis. The number of men so released will correspond to the reduction in the strength of the forces and it will bi increased in consequence of the calling up of new recruits. They will be released in turn as determined by tha two factors of age and length of war service, except that men of 50 and over will be treated as a priority class to be released if they so desire. (2) Men needed to assist in the reconstruction of the country in preparation for general demobilisation alter the war will be transferred out of turn from the forces to industry. No man will be forced to leave the forces, and any man due for release will be able, if he wishes, to volunteer for a further period of service, The release of Class A men (age and \ length of service class) will begin as soon as is practicable after the end of the European war. The transfer of Class B men (reconstruction employment) will not begin until a start is made with the men in Class A. Class A released men will be placed in a special reserve, from which they will be recalled only in an extreme emergency. Class B men will be placed to reserves from which they will be re* called if they discontinue reconstruction employment. The arrangements for release and transfer will apply to the women’! auxiliary services in the same way aa to the men in the forces, except that married women will be treated as t priority class.

PRISON SENTENCE FOR MUTINY

SYDNEY SOLDIER’S TERM TO STAND

(R ec. 5- 5 P-m.) CANBERRA, Sept. 23. ‘ The sentence of five years’ imprisonment imposed on the Australian soldier, Private J. Wilson, for mutiny will not be changed,’’ said the Minister of the Army (Mr F.. M, Forde) in the House of Representatives. “As originally decided, the sentence will be reviewed in October next year, with a view to remitting the balance if Wilson’s conduct in prison is satisfactory.’’ Mr Forde said Wilson’s Army record was bad, but no reflection would be cast on his service in action. He had been charged 11 times for military offences. Although many more were implicated in the incident when the men refused duty at a Queensland detention camp because of alleged verminous conditions and alleged bad food, only Wilson and two others were singled out and charged as ringleaders. The quality of deliberation stamped their offence, which was grave, since the incident occurred in a detention barracks, where soldiers were undergoing punishment for breaches of discipline, and where there was a danger of a serious riot or insurrection.

According to information received by the New South Wales Returned Servicemen’s League, Private John Wilson, of Sydney, with others, staged a sit-down strike to protest against “bug-infested quarters” at a Brisbane camp. The gaoled strikers were dishonourably discharged from the Army. Private Wilson served overseas for two years and a half with the 9th Division, and several of his comrades had told pf his gallantry under, fire.