KOEPANG IN FLAMES

Greymouth Evening Star, 14 June 1943, Page 6

KOEPANG IN FLAMES

RABAUL AGAIN BOMBED LIBERATORS’ SUCCESS (N.Z.P.A. Special Australian Correspondent) SYDNEY, June 13. Koepang, the main Japanese base on the island of Timor, was left in flames on Friday when a force of 15 Liberators blew up the powerhouse and fuel installations with 42 tons of bombs. The attack was the heaviest yet made by General MacArthur’s bombers on an objective on Timor. Koepang is the chief enemy strongpoint north-west of Australia and has been a base for Japanese air raids on several points of the Australian mainland. This Timor raid was only one of 16 made by General MacArthur’s bombers and long range fighters in the last 48 hours, when clearing weather has permitted intensification of our air attacks on enemy strongpoints. A Liberator force rained 19 tons of bombs on the Rabaul aerodromes in an attack before dawn on Friday. This was the second big Allied attack in two days against Japanese aircraft concentrations there. The A7 unakanau and Rapopo aerodromes were the targets on which the Libel ators released high explosive, 1 "agmentation, and incendiary bombs. Damage to parked enemy aircraft was indicated by numerous fires in the dispersal areas. Three hostile night fighters were identified during the bombing, but they did not press an attack. Our air crews over Koepang reported widespread devastation caused by their heavy bombs. The powerhouse blew up with a terrific explosion and petrol dumps were ignited in sheets of flame. Eight Zeros engaged the Liberators in a long running fight. Three of the enemy fighters were shot down, and a fourth was probably destroyed.. One Liberator is missing. It is believed that the raid struck a damaging blow against the Japanese supply concentrations in this sector. The previous heavy raid on Koepang took place cn March 1, when Beaufighters in a sVafing attack on the Penfoei aerodrome destroyed nine Zeros ana four bombers, probably destroyed eight Zeros and one bomber. A further light attack on this aerodrome was made on Saturday, but the results are not reported. Beaufighters also did heavy damage on Saturday, when they swept over the Japanese seaplane base of Taberfane in the Aru Islands in a surprise low level attack. Six floatplanes were destroyed at their moorings, and two others damaged, while a single intercepting floatplane was shot down. Babo, the Japanese base on Mcluer Gulf in Dutch. New Guinea has been bombed eight times with increasing intensity since May 4. Catalinas making the latest attack left grounded aircraft burning and started other fires in the barracks area near the seaplane base. At Kaimana in the same sector, damaging near misses with 5001 b bombs were scored within 25ft of a 2000-ton cargo ship. Over the north New Guinea coast four of our fighters on Saturday encountered a formation of 20 enemy fighters. They attacked and shot down one Zero without loss to themselves. , Our Mitchell medium bombers made two strong attacks in Salamaua, bombing and strafing. Direct hits were scored on the Nuknuk Bridge over the Francisco River. Beaufighters operated in strafing attacks on Komiatum, south of Salamaua, on the Japanese supply trail to Mubo. There is no fresh news ol: land fighting in this area.. . These heavy raids, it is explained were merely a normal feature of Allied air operations in the South-west Pacific under improved weather conditions.

ALEUTIAN ISLANDS.

WELLINGTON, June 12. The U.S. Navy Department stated Mitchells and Liberators, escorted by Lightnings and Warhawks, made four attacks on Kiska on Thursday. Hits were scored on a runway and ” i un emplacements, and barges were strafed. On Tuesday night last American Army patrols on Attu killed sixty-six Japanese, and captui-ed one in an area between Sarana Bay and Cape Khlebnikof. There was no enemy activity in other parts of the island.

JAPS. LOSE 34 PLANES.

RUGBY, June 13. Twenty-five of a formation of 40 to 50 Japanese Zero fighters, have been shot down by United States, Navy, Armv and Marine pilots in furious Jogirghts near the Russell Islands. a romnwAoue states: During the night oi June 10, Fortresses and Avengers bombed and started fires among Japanese positions in the Buin area. On the morning of June 12, American fighters intercepted 40 to 50 Zeros and shot down 25. Eight more were probably brought down. The American losses were six planes, but four of the pilots are sale. On the same morning, Liberators encountered two Mitsubishi bombers 20 miles west of the Buka Islands and destroyed one. During the morning of June 11, Liberators, Mitchells, Lightnings and Warhawks carried out five attacks against Japanese installations on Kiska. Hits were scored in the main camp area, and on the runway. Barges in the harbour were bombed and strafed.

JAP. INFERIORITY.

SYDNEY, June 12. According to the commander of the Allied air forces in this area, Lieutenant-General G. C. Kenney, the Japanese no longer have the cilots to make mass night raids. “Most of Japan’s ace pilots in the South-west Pacific area have been killed.” Lieutenant-General Kenney commented on the satisfactory results of Thursday’s heavy raid on enemy air concentrations at Rabaul. He said. “Our own boys are getting really good in the air at night now. I would say that they are as good night flyers as they were in the daytime months ago, but the Japanese learn much more slowly, than our men, who can fly through the weather and all other hazards of this dangerous zone without intensive preliminary training. To drop an equal weight of bombs with us the Japanese would have to send over more than twice the number of aeroplanes we are using.”

AUSTRALIA’S SAFETY

MR. CURTIN’S CONFIDENCE

(N.Z.P.A. Special Australian Correspondent)

SYDNEY, June 13. The belief that Japan could not conquer Australia either now or at any future time in the war, has again been voiced by the Prime Minister’ (Mr. J. Curtin). He said this when defending his earlier assurance that he did not think the enemy could now invade Australia. His first optimistic statement was strongly criticised by the leader of the Federal Opposition parties, Mr. Fadden and Mr. Hughes. Mr. Curtin added that his faith was “founded on the work that has already been done and on absolute con-

fidence in the work before \us which we will do.” While Mr; Curtin’s announcement that Australia was no longer in grave danger came rather like a shot out of the blue, it is accepted by the majortiy of Australians at its full face value. It is understood that Mr. Curtin’s systematic practice of not initiating statements about operational matters unless with the knowledge of the South-west Pacific Commander-in-Chief (General MacArthur), was adhered to in this instance. “It must be assumed that Mr. Curtin’s optimistic appraisal and forecast would not have been issued so soon after the stern warnings of only three months ago if the strategical position had not improved, and if preparations for a new stage of both limited and major offensives against Japan had not proceeded in the interim,” writes the military Correspondent of the “Sydney Morning Herald.” “Since the Japanese island arc remains as strong as ever and no major territorial, aerial, or naval gains have been reported in the meantime, the only deduction is that Allied strength has been greatly increased in preparation for an enlarged tactical offensive within a strategical defensive or even for an outright offensive on a broader strategical scale.” OPPOSITION COMMENT “Just how a situation that a fortnight ago was grave and imminent has passed away has not been explained,” said the Leader of the United Australia Party (Mr. Hughes) in. a statement supporting criticism by the Leader of the Federal Opposition (Mr. Fadden) of the declaration by the Prime Minister that Australia is now free' from the threat of invasion.

“It certainly does not arise out of any change in the military situation, for the latest statement from General MacArthur’s Headquarters stresses the fact that no part of the Japanese forces has been weakened,” he continued. “We may be sure that the Japanese are massing their forces for some definite purpose and that purpose is an offensive.” Both Mr. Fadden and Mr. Hughes are members of the Australian War Council and Mr. Hughes added that as a member of the council he knew of nothing to warrant Mr. Curtin’s optimistic outlook.

These suggestions that less than face value should be placed on the Prime Minister’s statements are reported to be much resented in quarters close to Mr. Curtin. It is pointed j®ut that his statement, being the outcome of his meeting with General MacArthur, would contain nothing that ran counter to the general’s view of the war. The publication of an over-optimistic view of the progress of the war in the Pacific could not be of political advantage to Mr. Curtin, since it would leave the Government at the mercy of events occurring before the elections. Further, his'Optimistic statement is seen, as tending to increase the unpopularity of the war-time control and disciplinary measures for which Mr. Curtin must carry the political responsibility.

DR. EVATT’S VIEW

Broadcasting from New York on the completion of his visit to the United States, the Australian Minister of External Affairs (Dr. Evatt) said that great increases in the Allied air strength in the South-west Pacific would soon permit of ceaseless pressure against enemy positions in that theatre. He gave a warning of the cost of warfare against the Japanese, and said that Australian-Am-erican casualties in the New Guinea fighting were greater than the total of Allied casualties in the whole of the Tunisian campaign. Casualties from tropical diseases exceeded those in battle by four to one. Dr. Evatt emphasised the plight of Australia and New Zealand in March of last year, when there were no modern fighter aeroplanes, only a handful of tanks, and very weak an-ti-aircraft defences with our forces in the southern Pacific. He said that the immediate fate of New Zealand was largely dependent upon the fate of Australia, and added that neither country could be enthusiastic about a defensive which hardly accorded with the, traditions of Anzac. Now, however, the Allied forces throughout the world were making ready to attack. Wherever the final shot was fired, whether in Europe or the Pacific, Australia and New Zealand fighting forces would be present.

IMPENDING OFFENSIVE

The likely nature of impending blows against the Japanese is being widely discussed by war commentators over the world. It is assumed that at least some of these blows will be delivered in the South and Southwest Pacific areas. The recent acquisition by the United States forces of such islands as Funafuti, in the Ellice group, and the Russell Islands, in the Solomons group, as well as a number of other undisclosed bases, has given the Allies new “unsinkable carriers” from which to increase the tempo of bombing Japanese strongpoints. Air power must play a vital part in the Allied “leap-frog” strategy which is beleived to have been substituted for the costly “island hopping” scheme of warfare. Many Japanese strongpoints can be by-passed on the theory that the enemy’s extended positions will be neutralised even if they are still garrisoned. Some American observers expect blows in the central Pacific to have a leading place in the Allied plans. It is thought, too, that the United States Fleet will make every effort to force the Japanese Home Fleet into a decisive engagement. Attacks against Japanese sea power are accepted as an essential part of the Allies’ Pacific strategy. Indeed, the progressive decline of the enemy’s mercantile marine is seen as an important factor accounting for Mr. Curtin’s reassuring survey. The limitations imposed on the enemy’s strategical plans by shipping difficulties, together with great increases in America’s countering sea and air strengths, have at last seen the passing of the general initiative into the Allied hands.

The position in the southern Pacific is summed up by the “New York Herald-Tribune” war correspondent in this theatre, who writes: “Japan, i» failing to press on against Australia, has lost a chance she will never have again.”

PHLIPPINES REMNANT

NEW YORK, June 13. ! The official Tokio radio stated that t remnants of the United States forces '.which had been holding out in the [Neuvenizcaya province of Lyzon I ffsland, in the Philippines, have surrendered with the Filipino officers l and all equipment, resulting in the iProvince’s complete pacification.