ENEMY WARSHIPS

Evening Post, Volume CXXXIV, Issue 62, 10 September 1942, Page 5

ENEMY WARSHIPS

TWICE BOMBED OFF NEW GUINEA

POSITION AT KOKODA

(By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyriofit.) (Special Australian Correspondent.) | (Rec. 9.30 a.m.) SYDNEY, Sept. 9. Attacks on Japanese warships have been made by Allied aircraft in the New Guinea area. The first attack, on Monday, was on two warships off Normanby Island, 25 miles north-east of Milne Bay, but the results were not abserved. The second attack was made off Trobriand Island, about 100 miles north-east of Milne Bay, and a de- c' stroyer is believed to have been damaged. These air attacks were part of wide-' spread operations throughout the NewGuinea area. It is probable that the same vessels were attacked on each' occasion. Allied planes first located the warships about dusk on Monday. The., raids were made with medium bombers, fighters, and Australian-made Bristol Beaufort torpedo-bombers. Visibility was poor, and the results could not be observed. LOCATED AGAIN. On Tuesday, air reconnaissance found Japanese warships, probably the same vessels, about 80 miles away. Two strong attacks were made, and a destroyer is believed to have been I heavily hit. Ground fighting in the Kokoda-Myola area is believed now to be at an altiture of 6000 feet in the pass approaches to Hell's Gap, leading to Port Moresby. Today's communique from General MacArthur's headquarters describes the situation as "static." This is understood to mean that there has been no appreciable change. RAID ON MILNE BAY. The Japanese on Tuesday launched an air attack on Milne Bay. Nine heavy bombers, with fighter escort, attacked Australian installations, causing slight damage and casualties. The enemy ground forces in this area have now been almost eliminated. Japanese casualties in the area are estimated at 700. At Mullins Bay, about 20 miles from Milne Bay, on the south coast of New Guinea, three damaged Mitsubishi divebombers were found on the beach. They are believed to have been disabled in the Allied air sweeps over Milne Bay on August 27 and 28. LANDING PARTY IDENTIFIED. The landing party at Milne Bay has been identified as Kure No. 1 Landing Force, probably connected with the Japanese naval base of the same name at Nagasaki. Today's communique also reveals a fresh air blow against the Japanese at Buna, the northern terminus of the Hell's Gap track to Port Moresby, via Kokoda. Beached barges were destroyed. A headquarters spokesman explained to war correspondents that these barges are continually moving between enemy positions on the north coast of New Guinea, and that their mention in the communique does not imply that fresh Japanese reinforcements have been landed at Buna. Forward elements of the opposing ground troops are fighting at Mubo, a native village near Salamaua, which was bombed by Allied aircraft on Monday.