BOMBERS’ TOLL

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 20804, 6 June 1942, Page 3

BOMBERS’ TOLL

JAP. SUBMARINES SIX IN ~A WEEK two moreTdestroyed AUSTRALIAN COAST (By Telegraph—Press Assn.—Copyright.) (11 a.m.) MELBOURNE, June 6. Two enemy submarines were definitely sunk and probably a third by Allied aircraft off the Australian coast on Wednesday. A special Allied Headquarters communique said: “Allied aircraft from one Netherlands East Indies and two Australian squadrons on reconnaissance off the east coast located three enemy submarines on the surface in widely separated localities. In the ensuing attacks, two submarines weie certainly destroyed, and the third was probably sunk. Allied aircraft and naval vessels during the last five days have destroyed six and possibly seven enemy submarines.’’ . A Dutch bomber, piloted by FlyingOfficer W. F. Winckel, of Bandoeng, destroyed a Japanese submarine cruising on the surface with nobody on “I opened the throttle and dived to within 400 ft., but the bombadier did not sight it. The submarine attempted to crash dive. I pulled the plane round for a second run and a stick of heavy bombs dropped along the length of the submarine which disappeared and then a few seconds later about sft. of the submarine’s bow shot to the surface and disappeared into the sea. We cruised around for a while to make certain but there was no doubt what happened.” A communique issued by Allied Headquarters in the south-west Pacific states: “Our air force attacked the aerodrome at Koepang, Timor, encountering heavy anti-aircraft fire. All the bombs were dropped in the target area, destroying anti-aircraft installations and starting fires. “An Allied flight bombed the wharves at Rabaul. Hits were made on Carpenters’ wharf in the warehouse area, starting numerous fires. Incendiary bombs hit a military camp. We had no losses. “An Allied reconnaissance plane machine-gunned an enemy float plane on the water at Tulagi, in the Solomons.”