JAP. PLANE LOSSES

Greymouth Evening Star, 21 May 1943, Page 5

JAP. PLANE LOSSES

RAIDS ON DUTCH TIMOR

U.S.A. PROGRESS IN ALEUTIANS (N.Z.P.A. Special Australian Correspondent) SYDNEY, May 20. j

Three Japanese bombers and one fighter were destroyed or damaged on the ground in the Allied Beaufighter attack on the Penfqei airfield, at Koepang, in Timor, on Wednesday. Of eight Zeros which intercepted our attack three were destroyed and two probably destroyed. Three Beaufighters are missing. Flying 500 miles to Koepang in darkness, the Beaufighters struck at dawn. They pressed their attack at almost ground level, which made them vulnerable targets for the heavy anti-aircraft defences of the area. Three hours later Liberators followed our longrange fighters, and started fires among buildings. All the Liberators returned to their base. Oro Bay, the Allied base on die north coast of Papua, had its tenth raid on Tuesday night, when nine enemy aeroplanes dropped 20 bombs ineffectually along the coast as far as Cape Sudest, six miles away. Our anti-aircraft gunners shot down one bomber. Less than half an hour earlier, an attack by a small force of enemy air - craft on Douglas Bay, near Cape Ward Hunt, on the north-western Papuan coast, had a nuisance value only. This was the first attack on Douglas Bay, and was probably directed against Allied troops stationed in the area. General MacArthur's communique to-day. which announces these operations. also reports Allied raids on Gasmata and Cape Gloucester, m New Britain. Three attacks were made on Gasmata by single Flymg Fortresses.

JAPAN ESE ALLEGATIONS

■ SYDNEY, May 20. A Japanese communique just broadcast by Tokio claimed that seven Japanese Army hospital ships had been attacked by United States aeroplanes or submarines up to tne end of last month. Two of the ships had been damaged and casualties Commenting on the communique, the Japanese spokesman (Horn) •<aid’ “In view of the repetition o± these illegal attacks, the Japanese Government lodged a strong with the Governments ol the United States and Britain through the protecting Powers. As long as su cn lack of discipline and lack of morals exist among the enemy, there will never be peace until we carry out our duty and crush these barbarians.. • The Berlin radio, quoting the Tokio rouort, stated that the Japanese Government had lodges a P lo test against an Allied air attack on <, hospital ship Mizuho, near Rabaul, on Anvil 27. , ffiokio radio stated that an Ameiican plane on Tuesday attacked the Japanese hospital snip Aiabn ..... off New Ireland. Americans had aKu attacked the Arabiamaru m Jumg-0.. harbour.

JAPS. TRAPPED AT ATTU

NEW YORK. May 20. The “New York Times’s” Washington correspondent says that unless the Japanese make a c At 3C ." at ; o ,, nio Y\ to relieve or evacuate their trapped forces on Attu Island, military ami--oritics in Washington believe tnax the Attu campaign will end comparatively quickly. . „ The “Herald-Tribune s ' Wasnington correspondent considers it ’unlikely that the- Japanese will risk sending surface snips to Attu. .->e cause of the ring ol Allied wai ships standing outside- its approaches.

MR. STIMSON’S STATEMENT

RUGBY, May 20.

| Mi'. Stimson stated at Washington .(that American casualties so far at At'tn were compelra lively light, lhe Aniericans had now complete control or Holtz Bay area, including a part.ycompleted flight strip. Land operations at Attn were carried out entirely by army forces, commanded by Maj-or-General Eugene M. Landrum. The attack was planned some _ time ago ; Troops were specially trained, and transports and warships secretly assembled. Bad weather aided suipnse landings, but subsequently hampered American progress. r r'o-dav's navy communique says. On May' 18 gunfire from the United Spates light forces assisted in clearing the Holtz Bav-Massacre Bay pass or enemy troops. On May 19, American forces captured the Sarana Pass leading to the Chicago!’ harbour area. Contact between American north and south forces from the Holtz Bay-Mas-sacre Bay areas has been confirmed. Japanese resistance in the Chichagor harbour urea has stopped except loi isolated sniper groups. American army bombers attacked military objectives in the Chichagof harbour area. American forces are now in possession of the runway in the Holtz Bay area. . , ± South Pacific: On the night of May 18 six Japanese bombers attacked American positions at Guadalcanal and Russell Islands. There was no damage and no casualties.

JAP. HEAVY LOSSES

(Recd. 12.20 p.m.) WASHINGTON. May 2 )

A Japanese Army correspondent describes the fury of the opemng American attack on Attu Island. His report admits very heavy Japanese losses in “gallant, death-defying actions'. It acknowledges that the United States troops are making stady progress. United States War Information Department monitors heard the Toxic Radio broadcast the following message from the correspondent: “American landing parties appeared outside Holtz Bay, on the nortn-oast coast of Attu. at 10 a.m. on May 12, after United States planes had bombarded the Japanese positions tor eight hours. American naval vessels fired salvo after salvo in a wild effort to blow the island out of the sea. We made a brief stand on tin important ridge, but after continuous aircraft and warship bombardment, in which we lost more than twothirds of our strength, we retired to new positions on the night, of . May 14, with enemy patrols on ail sides.” United States Army authorities here believe the campaign will end, soon. Axis reports are apparently; preparing their people for bad news. The Berlin radio says that the Japanese garrison on Attu are battling against an enemy now more than , a hundred times their superior in numbers.