FIVE JAP PLANES

Grey River Argus, 25 February 1943, Page 5

FIVE JAP PLANES

Downed in Solomons NIGHT ATTACK ON CONVOY UTTERLY FAILS. (Rec. 9.40) NEW YORK, Feb. 23. The first night attack by Japanese torpedo bombers on an Allied convoy in the Southern Solomons occurred on February 17. It ended in a disaster for the enemy. It began on the night of Wednesday, February 17, south of Gua'dalcanar Island. Fire from transports and escorting destroyers shot down five of eight Japanese torpedo bombers within fifteen minutes. The Japanese opened their attack by dropping parachute hares in the area known as the “Torpedo Junction.” _ , , x , An enemy scout plant had trailed (he convoy throughout the afternoon, and the raid was started just as darkness fell. Not a single torpedo hit [he convoy. An American Associated Press correspondent says: “The Japanese flares lit up the ocean like a stage setting, and, after a swift battle was over, ‘five tell tale fires on the water marked the end of the destroyed machines. Throughout the attack the convoy maintained its pre-arranged battle’ movement, turning and twisting to present the poorest possible target. , . “When it was over, one destroyer radioed another to say that there were three Japanese airmen in the water. The reply came back: “Toss them emergency rations! No time to halt now. We’ll pick them up later” , , .. “The destroyers dropped depth charges, suggesting that enemy submarines may have been in the area'. Later, Tokio claimed that the planes had sunk two destroyers and one transport.