RAID ON KAVIENG

Dominion, Volume 37, Issue 122, 18 February 1944, Page 5

RAID ON KAVIENG

Daring Rescue Of Flyers CATALINA LANDS IN HARBOUR

(By Telesranh. — Pres<s \hhh. —Copyright.) ’ (Special Australian Correspondent.) (Received February 17, 10.45 p.m.) SYDNEY, February 17. Kavieng, the main Japanese base in New Ireland, has been pounded by a large, force of Allied planes, which the town a “mass of flames and smoke.” A 3000-ton cargo ship, three coastal vessels, and several smaller craft in the harbour were sunk, and two floatplanes were destroyed and three others damaged. ’ , , , , Intense anti-aircraft fire brought down eight Allied planes. Associated with the shooting down of these planes was the daring rescue ot a number of American airmen by a United States Catalina. Piloted by Lieutenant Nathan Gordon, the Catalina made four landings under heavy fire from enemy shore batteries and rescued 15 members of the crews of planes which had been forced down. Several of the rescued men were injured. Gordon’s Catalina was damaged by rough seas, but he succeeded in getting every Allied airman aboard. Catalinas accompany all Allied air .assault forces for rescue purposes. . Japanese shipping also suffered in the New Guinea zone where a IvUO-ton freighter was sunk and submarine-chaser damaged at Wewak. Seven. were shot down and two others, probably destroyed in a clash with Allied fighters. In a low-level attack on Dagua aerodrome, made last Monday, 27 grounded Japanese aircraft were destroyed or damaged.

JAPANESE OUTRAGE Murder Of Missionaries (By Telegraph.—Press Assn.—Copyright.) (Special Correspondent.) (Received February 1.7, 11.30 p.m.)

SYDNEY, February 17. Two Catholic missionaries were shot and then bayoneted to death by the Japanese in New Guinea. Father Anthony Crysberg, a Dutchman who has spent 10 years in the territory, has given details of the outrage to war correspondl- - With five nuns, another priest and a lay brother of the Holy Ghost Order, Father Crysberg escaped from the Japanese at Wewak and reached safety after a four months' trek through heavy jungle. . . “The Japanese seized all the missions and clinches in the Wewak area and stole furnishings and food,” he said. “When the two priests protested against the pillaging, a Japanese officer promised to punish the soldiers responsible. The officer then left and the missionaries were told to dress in their best clothes to meet a high ranking officer. They were then taken by armed guards to a spot where two graves had -been freshly dug. There they were shot. When they did not die, they were stabbed with bayonets and thrown into the graves.” Father Crysberg and his companions crossed 10,600 ft. mountains in their trek to escape. After the first four weeks, Allied planes regularly dropped them supplies of food.

REPORT ON BURMA

Auchinleck Says Japanese Hopes Dashed LONDON, February 16. General Auchinleck told the Council of State in New Delhi today that the Japanese on the Arakan front recently reacted violently to the steady pressure against their forward positions. They had patently hoped and openly boasted they could repent their stroke of last year, when their attacks on our communications forced us to withdraw. This time they put in their counter-at-on the left rear and flank of the Seventh Indian division in the Bauthedaung area, but the division stood firm on the ground they had won, despite the appearance of Japanese troops behind it. Admiral Mountbatten’s Allied air forces had greatly increased their co-ordinated offensive action in depth, weight, and frequency. The motive of an occasional Japanese air raid on India was to break un the efforts wherewith we were creating a great base. They might try further air raids, but nothing would divert us from our purpose. Today’s reports state that the Japanese made a new attack on the eastern side of the pass of the Arakan. mountains and seized two hills overlooking the roads from our positions at Maungdaw. The Fourteenth Army counter-attacked and drove the enemy off one of the hills. The Japanese have been shelling heavily in this area. North of Maungdaw. where the Japanese have beeu using mortars against our mttiu communications with India, our troops captured a strong point, but later withdrew. Thirty miles to the east, where tlie West Africans are in action. our troops had some success in sharp.fighting in the Kaladan Valley, and our advance continues.

SPANISH RESENTMENT Japanese Persecution Of

Ecclesiastics

’ (Received February 17, 9.30 p.m.) MADRID, February I<. The newspaper “Arriba” expresses bitter resentment at the persecution of two Spanish ecclesiastics in the Philippines by the Japanese. “The ‘Spanish Press has hitherto abstained from publishing reports of Japanese persecution of Spanish institutions pending information by (absolutely reliable sources,” says the * Arriba.” “This persecution is of venerable cud prominept Spanish personalities'who fcr ma«y years have engaged in missionary work throughout the archipelago. The attitude of the Japanese authorities is against anything constituting Spanish and Christian values. The Japanese have been meticulously careful that no_ information leaks out regarding-what is going ’on in the Philippines. Now, however, things could not be seenMn a clearer light.”

AFTER 11 MONTHS

Two Japanese Surrender (By Telegraph.—Press Assn.—Copyright.) (Special Australian Correspondent.) (Received February 17, 11.45 p.m.) SYDNEY, February 17. After being fugitives in the New Guinea jungle for 12 months, two Japanese survivors of the Papuan campaign have surrendered. Carrying a white flag cn a rifle, they gave themselves up to a party of Americans. They had lived on stolen Allied rations which they stored in a cache about two miles from the coast. They fled into the jungle after the battle of Giruwa on January 21 last year. Both were in comparatively good physical condition when they surrendered. They carried bundles of “invasion” money designed for use after tile occupation of Australia. BOMBING FROM CHINA

(Received Fcbruatv 17, 11 p.m.) CHUNGKING, February IT

General Stilwell’s communique reports that 14th Air Force'Mitchells swept the Tongking Gulf between February 14 and 15, bombing and damaging two coastal steamers and. oilier shipping. Fighters strafpd the aerodrome at Ilsenwhi. in Burma, and (he railway station at Haspsong.