SMASHING ATTACK

New Zealand Herald, Volume 79, Issue 24250, 16 April 1942, Page 7

SMASHING ATTACK

BRITISH OVER ANDAMANS 13 JAPANESE PLANES CAUGHT LONDON, April 15 The Koyal Air Force delivered a •mashing attack on a squadron of 13 Japanese flying-boats in Port Blair, in tfie Andaman Islands. One was left linking, two others were on fire and all the remaining 10 were damaged. All our aeroplanes returned safely. BRAVE AMERICANS SUBMARINE COMMANDER AWARDS TO SEVERAL AIRMEN WASHINGTON, April 14 Lieutenant-Commander Frederick Burdett Warder, commanding the submarine Seawolf. which sank or damaged seven Japanese ships in a recent Pacific cruise, is recommended for the Nary Cross. His vessel sank a light cruiser, a destroyer and a large transport and damaged two other light cruisers, a large transport and one unidentified vessel off the Netherlands East Indies late in February and early in April. The exploit has been previously mentioned in communiques, but the name of the captain of the -submarine was not- given. The War Department decorated 10 Army officers and six enlisted men for completing a perilous nine-hour Atlantic flight last July from Washington to an undisclosed English city. Distinguished Flying Crosses were awarded for carrying out the assignment in spite of bad weather, low ceiling, icing conditions and the possibility of crashing into balloon barrages. .First-Lieutenant Cecil Faulkner and eight men of bomber crews were awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross for photographing enemy territory, which subsequently led to successful action by United States forces over the same area. The identity of the territory is not revealed.

EXPELLED FROM PERSIA JAPANESE LEGATION ACTING FOR AXIS AGENTS (Reed. 5.5 p.m.) TEHERAN, April U Persia has broken off relations with Japan. The Japanese Legation is ordered to leave Persia within a week. Persia decided to eject the Japanese legation after discovering that it was acting as paymaster for Axis agents fl nd as an anti-Allied propaganda centre. It is also believed that since the entry of British and Russian troops into Persia the legation has been used for secret radio messages to Tokio. An investigation following the arrest six prominent people confirmed the Government's suspicions of the legation's activities.

MINISTRY OF DEFENCE AUSTRALIAN DESIGNATION CANBERRA. April 15 An important change in the designation of the Department of Defence Co-ordination to the Ministry of Defence was announced by the Minister, Mr. J. Curtin, who has held the portfolio ' of Minister of Defence Co-ordination and was sworn in as Minister of Defence by the GovernorGeneral. The setting up of this new department will facilitate the higher direction of the war in the South-west Pacific area, Mr. Curtin pointed out. *ts functions would embrace a wider scope of organisation for the Southwest Pacific area. As Prime Minister ne would be the link between the Government and the Supreme Commander. *'Ho would have operational control of the Australian forces that were placed »t his disposal.