JAP FLEET BOMBED

Evening Post, Volume CXXXIV, Issue 107, 2 November 1942, Page 5

JAP FLEET BOMBED

MACARTHUR'S PLANES SCORE MANY HITS

(By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright.) (Special Australian Correspondent.) SYDNEY, November 1. / Smashing night bombing raids ori Japanese fleet concentrations in the Buin-Faisi area of the north Solomon Islands, and in Rabaul harbour, New Britain,. have again been made by Australian-based aircraft It is stated that though part of the Japanese fleet has retired from the Solomons, a considerable enemy strength of war shipping remains in the Faisi-Buin and Rabaul areas. Other enemy vessels are believed to have returned north to the main Japanese base at Truk, in the Caroline Islands. The chief success in the raid on the northern Solomons, made by Flying Fortresses shortly before dawn yesterday, was an enemy heavy cruiser which blew up after a direct hit by a 5001b bomb. Two battleships or heavy cruisers are claimed to have been damaged by direct hits in attacks on Friday night. „ Other claims which have not previously been listed include:—Damaged: A light cruiser, and three unidentified vesse|s. Probably damaged: An air-craft-carrier, a light cruiser, and a destroyer. The latest communiques from General Mac Arthur's headquarters state that the full results of the raid could not be observed, but the damage is believed to have been heavier than has been claimed. Sixty-six tons of bombs were dropped in this series of raids, which was all carried out in the face of intense anti-aircraft fire. No Allied planes were lest. Australian-based aircraft now claim direct hits on 15 enemy ships in the Solomons-New Britain areas during the past week. Seven other ships, including an aircraft-car' 'er. and light cruisers, are believed to have been damaged by near misses. The attacks on Friday night on Japanese ships in the roadstead between Bum (on Bougainville) and Shortland Island were made by three waves of aircraft, two of Fortresses, and one of medium bombers. Twenty-seven tons of bombs were dropped. , The star pilot of this raid was Captain Paul Cool, of Pontiac Michigan. In the van of the first flight of Fortresses he found enemy shipping well dispersed, but scored a direct hit on one of two ships which were lying together in the roadstead. In the dim light of the moon some pilots believed that the bomb found a battleship, but Cool considers that his target was a heavy cruiser. BOMB NEAR CARRIER. On his second run Cool dropped a ! heavy bomb close to an aircraft-carrier. War correspondents suggest that the carrier as well as another cruiser may have been at least extensively damaged. Experience shows that "close ones" can sink ships because of severe underwater damage. ~ , Australian medium-bomber pilots later claimed another direct hit on' a battleship or heavy cruiser. It is not known whether this was the same vessel as that attacked by Cool. Two damaged enemy ships were observed to be beached. Fortresses revisited the Buin-Faisi area in an attack from a low altitude early this morning, when 18 tons of bombs were dropped with remarkable success. A heavy cruiser blew up after a direct hit and other direct hits damaged a light cruiser and a merchant At the same time another force of Fortresses raided Rabaul harbour, dropping 21 tons of bombs. Observa-. tion was exceptionally difficult. bu£ two unidentified vessels were set on fire by direct hits. Other damage as believed to have been heavy. Today an Allied bomber on reconnaissance, in. .tfaftJßafomi »msI.7WM .m?

tercepted by 11 Zeros. In a running fight which lasted for 40 minutes three of the Zeros were shot down and our bomber completed its mission and returned to its base.