TWELVE JAP. WARSHIPS

Grey River Argus, 20 March 1942, Page 5

TWELVE JAP. WARSHIPS

SUNK OR DAMAGED

And Eleven Other Ships

OFF NEW GUINEA

BY U.S. AND AUSTRALIAN

BOMBERS

[Aust. & N.Z. Cable Assn.] WASHINGTON, Marcii 18 The Navy has announced that the Japanese invasion force concentrated near Salamaua and Lae has been smashed by the American and Australian Air Forces. Twenty-three Japanese ships have been sunk or damaged, including 12 warships. The Navy added that, in New Guinea, heavy losses inflicted on the enemy included three Japanese seaplanes shot down. All this was accomplished with the loss of only one Allied ’plane. CANBERRA, March 19. Because the United States military authorities wished the presence of their forces in the Australian theatre of war to remain a secret as long as possible, the exploits of American airmen working with the R.AA.F. in Northern Australian territories could not, up to the present, to given the publicity they deserved. The Minister of Air (Mr Drakeford) said the R.A.A.F. could not do otherwise than respect the wishes of the United States Command, in its communiques, the R.A.A.F., has been careful, while not mentioning the presence of the United States airmen, .to avoid claiming full credit for Australian flyers. Now, it would be possible to give full credit to the United States airmen. LONDON, March 18. Yesterday Allied aircraft raided Koepang, capital of Dutch Timor. A communique from Canberra says that bad weather hampered the operations against Koepang, but hits were obtained on an aerodrome from 5,000 feet. Darwin and port Moresby each had two alerts yesterday, but no attacks developed. Air reconnaissance was carried out by Allied aircraft over a number of places in the New Guinea area.

FURTHER PARTICULARS (Rec. 10.30) WASHINGTON, Mar. 18. Details are. lacking of the crushing aerial assault on a Japanese invasion fleet off New Guinea, resulting in at least twenty-three Japanese ships, including twelve warships, being either sunk or damaged. American and Australian bombers are given credit for the victory, which cost them only one plane. Early reports of the casualties are as follows: Warships Believed Sunk. Two heavy cruisers. One light cruiser. Severely Damaged One cruiser. Four destroyers. Vessels Gutted by Fire and Beached. Five transports or large cargo ships. Sunk or Damaged Many small craft. One minesweeper. One aircraft tender. T'wo gunboats. The minesweeper and also a gunboat was in flames when the attackers left. SEAPLANES DOWNED Three enemy seaplanes were shot down. Considerable damage was done to anti-aircraft batteries and runways. TEN DAYS’ RESULTS COVERED BY U.S. REPORT w (Rec. 11.30). CANBERRA, March 19. The Air Minister has received no details of the Allied air-raid on Japanese shins at Salamaua. (Rec. 1.36) CANBERRA, March 19. Correction: The aerial raid off New Guinea previously cabled is believed to have comprised the series of raids during the past ten days wherein a total of 23 Japanese ships were either sunk or damaged. Some of these were hitherto mentioned. The Washington message (as above cabled) is therefore misleading. MORE SUCCESSFUL RAIDS CANBERRA, March 19. A direct hit on the stern of a Japanese heavy cruiser in an Allied air raid on Rabaul on Wednesday is revealed in a communique issued by the Prime Minister, Mr Curtin today. The communique stated; The raid was carried out in daylight. Bombs were dropped on shipping in Rabaul harbour with successful results. A direct hit on a Japanese heavy cruiser was followed by a rising .column of smoke. Near misses were observed .in the case of two other large vessels. /■ reconnaissance w°s made in other parts of the New Britain area. RAID ON TIMOR. (Rec. 11.5:) CANBERRA. Mar. 19. Allied aircraft raided Koepang on Wednesday evening, when fires were caused in local aerodromes, and were seen fifty miles away. Only one Allied machine was lost in Wednesday's operations.