ATTACKS ON CELEBES

Evening Post, Volume CXXXVIII, Issue 82, 4 October 1944, Page 5

ATTACKS ON CELEBES

JAP PLANES FIGHT BACK

(SpeclaJ P.A. Correspondent.) r™ +'* J October 3. concentrated bombing during recent weeks has wrought havoc with Japanese installations in the Celebes. *i!L a"_ a£ ten2Pt to prevent further iieavy destruction crack enemy pilots are now putting up a stiffening defence over the area. Twice in the past week Liberators raiding the; Japanese air of Kendari have been interfl^f d5 y a^-but aggressive enemy fighter formations. * v n-?ti^ Btinterception, on Septem- ,' thre6 6f nine interceptors were shot down for the- loss of One Lightning. On Saturday, five fighters attempted to drive off some Liberators. Threfe fighters were shot down and a fourth probably destroyed. A single S?em^; 1?OI 3 ll3e, r was also sh<>t down. All the Allied planes returned to their base. -.-■-'.

September 16, Catalina . night Marauders, known as "Black Cats," have destroyed or seriously damaged more than 100,000 tons of Japanese shipping between the Celebes and the Philippines. This is described at General Mac Arthur's headquarters as a paralysing blow at Japan's critical shipping situation."

The loss of tankers - employed in carrying fuel from the Borneo oil port of Balik Papan poses the Japanese with a serious problem.