POWERFUL ALLIED NAVAL FORCE

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXI, Issue 21385, 21 April 1944, Page 3

POWERFUL ALLIED NAVAL FORCE

SURPRISE BLOW DEVASTATES SABANG ENEMY PLANES AND "SHIPS DESTROYED (British Official Wireless) (11 a m.) ' RUGBY, April 20. A massive naval air attack was made at dawn yesterday on Sabang at the north end of Sumatra, in the Dutch EastIndies, by an Allied force under the command of Admiral Sir James Somerville. The naval force suffered no damage. One' plane was lost but the pilot was rescued. The Japanese-held base suffered tremendous damage. - A communique issued by Allied Headquarters in SouthEast Asia states: “Bombers and fighters from aircraft-carriers, which were escorted by a powerful Allied fleet of battleships, cruisers, destroyers and submarines, carried out a surprise raid on Sabang and the Iho Nga airfields in Northern Sumatra at dawn on Wednesday. Heavy bombs were used and the fighter escorts strafed ground targets. . “At, Sabang numerous direct hits' were made on the dockyards, power station, wharf, barracks, hangars, workshops And radio station and, in the town area, large fires were left burning. Heavy bombs fell on two merchant ships, each be- , tween 4000 and 5000 tons. Two Japanese destroyers and an escort vessel were strafed and set on fire. Twenty-two planes, including six large transport aircraft, were destroyed on the ground. A 10001 b. bomb fell on an oil tank which was left burning. “On the Iho Nga airfields several aircraft were destroyed on the ground. The enemy appears to have been taken completely by surprise but replied to the attack with intense anti-aircraft : fire from light guns. Three enemy torpedo-bombers, which later, approached our fleet, were shot down by fighters. One of our aircraft was forced to land on the sea but the pilot, was saved by a submarine which came to the surface and carried out the rescue under fire from shore batteries. All the other aircraft returned to base.,’’