SUBMARINE SUNK

New Zealand Herald, Volume 80, Issue 24538, 22 March 1943, Page 3

SUBMARINE SUNK

HITS ON ENEMY SHIPS PACIFIC SUCCESSES MORE ATTACKS ON BASES (Special Australian Correspondent) (Reed. 7.23 p.m.) SYDNEY, March 21 Desperate Japanese efforts to supply their troops at Lae, Northern New Guinea, by submarine were frustrated by Allied bombers. Our airmen observed a submarine discharging its cargo on Friday night and destroyed it with four direct bomb hits. The sinking of the submarine is further evidence of the success of the Allied air blockade of the enemy's Northern New Guinea bases. Supply by underwater craft is "last resort" tactics and indicates the extreme difficulties being faced by the Japanese troops in tho Lac-Salamaua-Mubo triangle. Repeated attempts to got food, equipment and reinforcements to these garrisons by surface craft have resulted in heavy shipping losses, culminating in the destruction of tho 22ship Bismarck Sea convoy. During the last stages of the Papuan campaign there were persistent, although unconfirmed, reports of Japanese attempts to supply their BunaGona fortress garrison by submarine.

Allied aircraft continue harassing attacks 011 Japanese bases and shipping from the Banda Sea to the Solomons. Most of the raids reported in the last 48 hours, when 15 objectives were attacked, were on a light scale. General Mac Arthur's communique today states: — "One of our medium units bombed and strafed a 10,000-ton enemy cargo vessel at Cape Van Den Bosch, Dutch New Guinea, scoring a direct hit and close misses. In spite of bad weather, our medium bombers, from a low altitude, attacked an enemy merchant vessel in the bay otf Kaimana, starting a fire on the deck. On shore a jetty was bombed and set on fire. "Our heavy bombers raided the town area of Ambon, Ambonia Island, after dusk, dropping 5001b. explosive bombs and incendiary bombs. Cloud and haze obscured observation of results. Our medium bombers in two waves attacked the town area of Langgoer, Kei Islands, scoring direct hits. Returning to their base, the bombers executed a strafing attack on the enemy-occupied village of Faan. "Ono of our heavy units bombed a medium enemy cargo ship off Gazelle Peninsula, New Britain, with unobserved results. One of our heavy units bombed enemy-occupied installations on Beliao Island, near Madang, New Guinea. Our heavy units twice bombed the building area at Finschhafen, causing numerous fires." DAYLIGHT AIR ATTACK ENEMY OVER IN FORCE (Special Australian Correspondent) (Reed. 7.25 p.m.) SYDNEY, March 21 The rising Japanese air strength in the South-west Pacific was again emphasised on Friday by a daylight attack by 18 enemy bombers, escorted by 32 fighters, on Porlock Harbour, 50 miles south-west of Buna. About 70 bombs were dropped on the harbour. A wharf and launch were damaged, but there were no casualties. This was the fourth heavy Japanese air attack in this theatre in 10 days. In that period the enemy also raided Darwin with 49 planes, the Wau aerodrome with 37 planes, Oro Bay with 18 planes and south-west Buna with 'lO planes. MORE RAIDS ON KISKA (Reed. » p.m.) WASHINGTON. March 20 A United States Navy communique states that Army Liberators and Mitchells, escorted by Lightnings, twice attacked Kiska, in the Aleutians, on Thursday. Results wore not observed. All the planes returned. JAPANESE FEARS (Reed. 5,30 p.m.) NKW YORK, March 20 In a domestic broadcast tho Tokio radio said: "At this very moment America, regardless of the blows dealt her, is planning to carry out a counteroffensive by air and sea in tho Pacific. She is feverishly constructing largo, speedy bombers and large submarines. Wo must further exert our efforts to increase our submarine strength and destrov more enemy submarines."