LANDING IS COSTLY

Evening Post, Volume CXXXIV, Issue 145, 16 December 1942, Page 5

LANDING IS COSTLY

HEAVY ALLIED AIR

ATTACK

(By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright.) (Special Australian Correspondent.) SYDNEY, December 15. Hundreds of Japanese dead have been washed ashore following a twoday attack on a cruiser and destroyer convoy off the mouths of the Kumusi and Mambare rivers north of Gona. The Japanese undoubtedly succeeded in getting ashore some troops and supplies, but the effort was made only at terrible cost. The number of enemy troops landed is not considered to constitute any grave menace to the Allied forces in Papua. The enemy troops will have a long trek to join the Japanese garrison at Sanananda, and they will find the way blocked by Allied forces. The convoy of two cruisers and three destroyers made the landing attempt and was attacked throughout Sunday and Monday. Direct hits and near misses were claimed on the warships, which were finally scattered and withdrew to the north. No sinkings of naval units are claimed. BARGES DESTROYED. Allied bombers, attack planes, and fighters ran a shuttle service over the landing area. Many " troop-laden barges were destroyed and their occupants drowned. Supply dumps on the beach are reported to have been converted into a "holocaust of blazing stores, exploding ammunition and burning fuel." The convoy was first sighted off Madang, on the northern New Guinea coast, early on Sunday As it came down the coast, Flying Fortresses and Liberators damaged the warships with near misses. However, bad weather with heavy rainstorms helped to hide the convoy and landing operations were conducted on Sunday night, the vessels standing some miles off-shore from the Kumusi and Mambare estuaries. At dawn on Monday. Allied airmen launched vicious attacks and throughout the day Fortresses, Havocs, Airacobras, and Beaufighters were over the area. The enemy was given no respite, and by late afternoon most of the Japanese barges, well laden with supplies, are believed to have been destroyed. JAPS DIE IN SEA OF FIRE. Explosions and .fires occurred on the barges as well as among supply dumps ashore, and today's communique from General Mac Arthur's headquarters claims that a "major enemy effort was largely parried." One large group of about 20 barges was consumed in the sea of fire. When the Japanese attempted to swim ashore, our airmen machine-gunned them and set on fire barrels of oil floating in the sea, so, that the swimmers certainly perished. Fifteen Zeros attempted to drive off our planes but they were unsuccessful. Two Zeros as well as one enemy bomber were shot down. Over New Britain, two more Zeros were destroyed when they attempted to intercept an Allied reconnaissance unit.