Heavy Blow Struck at Timor

Manawatu Times, Volume 68, Issue 51, 2 March 1943, Page 5

Heavy Blow Struck at Timor

Disastrous Day for Japanese (Special Australian Correspondent.) Received Monday, 10.80 p.m. SItONEK, March 1. The greatest numoer of long-range Beauuguters ever to operate nortn of Australia, has struck a heavy plow at grounded Japanese aircraft on Timor, on Sunday four bomoers and nine fighters were destroyeu on the grounu at Penfoei airfield and eight more fighters and one bomber are claimed as prooably destroyed. Australian manned Beaufighters attacked just at dawn and poured 18,000 rounds of cannon and machine-gun fire into the grounded enemy planes. General MacArthur’s communique to-day refers to the raid as “a disaster” for the enemy. Three Zeros attempted interception but after one had been put out of action, the others retired. These are believed to have been the only enemy aircraft at Penfoei surviving the raid. A feature of the operation was the extent of the damage *done by strafing alone, no bombs being dropped. Anti-aircraft positions were silenced and fires started in buildings in the area. Other Allied air activity on Sunday ranged from Kei Islands in the Banda Sea to Finschhafen and Lae in Northern New Guinea. The Japanese retaliated with ineffectual night raids on our New Guinea bases at Milne Bay and Merauke.

In land fighting around Mubo, the Australian forces have driven the Japanese from Wipaining in the Waipali area two miles from Mubo. The enemy has now been thrown back 30 miles from the scene of his defeat at Wau. Many dead Japanese have been discovered by our advancing troops, giving further evidence of the effective nature of the incessant Allied air strafing sweeps. Australian casualties are believed to have been light and the Sydney Herald’s New Guinea war correspondent says our troops in the Mubo area are receiving invaluable experience for the day when large scale fighting breaks out again. He adds that the employment of heavy arms such as 25-pounder artillery whenever possible, has been a deciding factor in our success. At Wau these guns accounted for hundreds of Japanese.