ALLEGED BATTLE

Dominion, Volume 36, Issue 110, 3 February 1943, Page 5

ALLEGED BATTLE

.lap Story Elaborated NEW YORK, February I. 'The Domei news agency broadcast purporting to describe a two-day assault on Uniled States ships, claimed earlier, says that Japanese scout planes- on January 2!) bieated a powerful Allied jleet east of Rennell Island (south of Urn Solomons), steaming north in n rough sen whipped by strong gales. Formidable formations of torpedo planes, it is asserted, dived through the clouds and bent off an escort of Grumman Wildcat planes. 'The Japanese commander scored a hit on a battleship, causing a great explosion. ami later crashed his burning plane headlong on to the ballleship, setting lire to the bridge. The batlieship sank offer receiving further torpedo hits. 'Two cruisers are claimed io have been sunk instantly. Two other battleships ami a cruiser are said Io have been set. on fire.

'Torpedo planes on January 30 attacked amt damaged the battleships, sinking one ami S"t lire Io the other, seriously damaging it, 'The cruiser sank instantly. 'Three Grumman Wildcats were brought down. 'Ton Japanese planes were lost.

'The United States Navy Department has declined to comment on the reports. 'the Japanese news agency has given :i new and very conservative list of Japanese losses in the Solomons. 'The navy losses are put at one battleship and 41 other warships. 'The air losses are put at 221 aircraft, which are reported to have been shot down or to have crashdived into their objectives. 'Thirty-one other planes are listed as damaged.