22 JAP. PLANES

Grey River Argus, 22 June 1943, Page 5

22 JAP. PLANES

Destroyed or Crippled SUNDAY MORNING RAID FOILED. (Special to N.Z. Press Assn.) (Rec. 10.25) . SYDNEY, June 21. Yesterday (Sunday) morning there was a big air battle over Port Darwin. In this there were twenty-two out of a raiding force of forty-eight Japanese bombers and lighters either destroyed or crippled by British and Australian Spitfire pilots. The greatest number of Spitfires yet to be thrown into a battle in this area clashed with the raiders. The opposing forces are reported to have' been approximately equal in strength. Describing the engagement, General MacArthur’s communique to-day says: “Twenty-eight enemy bombers, escorted by twenty lighters, attacked the Port Darwin area on. Sunday morning. Our lighters successfully intercepted the attacking force, near Cape Gambier. - They or damaged a total of twenty-two of the raiding planes. Of the 22, nine, comprising six bombers and three fighters, were definitely seen to crash. Three more comprising two bombers and one fighter were seen falling in flames. A further ten, comprising eight bombers and two fighters, were losing altitude, and were smoking, after being shot out of combat.

“Two of our planes are missing. “The' damage and the casualties caused on the ground are minor.” The Japanese bombers attacked at both high and low altitudes. They dropped small fragmentation bombs, as well as high exnlosive ones. The result in the ensuing battle was the best that has been achieved by the S'pitfires since they arrived in Australia. The Allied fighters were in the air and waiting for-the raiders.