VAIN AIR ATTACK

New Zealand Herald, Volume 80, Issue 24775, 24 December 1943, Page 8

VAIN AIR ATTACK

[ JAPANESE ROUTED [ ENEMY SHIPS SUNK OPERATIONS IN PACIFIC By Telegraph—Press Association —Copyright (Special Australian Correspondent) XEecd. 7.30 p.m.) SYDNEY, Dec. 23 Allied fighters smashed an attempt by 100 Japanese airci'aft to attack the American invasion troops at Arawe, New Britain. Brilliant Allieeb interception turned the enemy's first large-scale aerial assault into disaster, 16 Japanese planes being destroyed and four others probably destroyed. About half the attacking force failed ;to reach the targets, which included shipping as well as land objectives. Enemy dive-bombers and escorting fighters which managed to penetrate our aerial defensive screen took a severe mauling, and caused little

SYDNEY, Dec. :23

damage. It is revealed that Australianmanned Spitfires are now being used over New Britain.

Allied Bombing Raids Massive Allied bombing attacks against the Japanese Western New Britain base of Cape Gloucester fire being maintained with relentless vigour. Liberators and Mitchells in the latest raid pounded the area with 205 tons of explosives, bringing the total for the past ten days to more than 2000 tons. Japanese shipping throughout the South-west Pacific area is being heavily punished. General MacArtluir s communique to-day reports attacks by Cata]inas on two vessels in the Northern New Ireland area. Direct bomb hits were scored and one ship of 6000 tons capsized and sank instantly. A Liberator from the Solomons sank an enemy troop transport in the same locality. A Japanese destroyer was hit north of Massau Island. Our long-range iigliters destroyed a coastal vessel near Gasin ata, New Britain. New Guinea Campaign

The Australian troops continue to rout the Japanese in the coastal belt of Huon Peninsula, New Guinea. The enemy are in disorderly retreat, and are imperilled by their weakened supply line. Enemy dead are strewn along botli the coastal and inland trails on the peninsula. Australian tanks entered the village of Hubika, an important point on a Japanese barge supply route, on 'luesday afternoon. They had made rapid progress from Lakona, two air miles to the south. A count has revealed 354 enemy killed. Some of the Japanese in the area have died from starvation. Captured enemy equipment includes anti-tank guns, mines and flamethrowers.

MacARTHUR'S PLANS ifßecd. 7.30 p.m.), SYDNEY, Dec. 23 "There is no foundation for . statements that General Mac Arthur expects to go to Washington in the near future for conferences," said a spokesman at South-west Pacific headquarters to-day. The statement was in reply to American reports that General MacArthur was likely to return to Washington in March to resign his commission and contest the United States Presidential election. 1 ARMY CHIEF'S TOUR NEW YORK, Dec. 22 The conferences held by the Chief of Staff of the United States Army, General G. C. Marshall with Pacific commanders emphasise dramatically the-in-creasing tempo of the campaigns against the Japanese, says the Washington correspondent of the Associated Press. Informed quarters believe that General Marshall gave General Mac Arthur and lAdmiral Nimitzsome indication of the prospects of shifting greatly-increased forces to the Pacific. The New York Times correspondent at Pearl Harbour says that the importance of the conferences cannot be overestimated. General Marshall's meetings emphasised the growing importance of the United States Army in the Pacific war.

CZECHS AND RUSSIA

NEW TREATY RATIFIED

'(Reed. 9.30 p.m.) LONDON Dec. 23 The new treaty between Russia and Czechoslovakia was ratified in, Moscow last night. „ Dr. E. Benes, President of Czechoslovakia, told a press conference in Moscow earlier that he considered the new treaty part of a general system of security designed as a safeguard, especially against a repetition of German aggression in the east. Three Slavonic countries were particularly threatened "by this aggression Czechoslovakia, Poland and Russia. "We Czechs,'' he said, "are in the position that when Germany starts something in Europe we are the first to be attacked, the first to be occupied and the last to be liberated. "The arrangements which will be made after the war for the reconstruction of Europe must be such that aggression by Germany cannot be repeated. As part of the union of free, independent Slav nations, and as a bulwark against German aggression in the east, we desire collaboration with Poland —a strong democratic Poland — playing her role and helping to form an insuperable barrier against renewed German imperialist ambitions."

GRASS FIRES RAGING FIVE DEATHS IN VICTORIA (Reed. 7.30 p.m.) MELBOURNE, Dec. 23 Five people have perished in the first big grass and bush fires of this summer. Fires are raging over a distance of about 30 miles in North-east Victoria.

Thousands of acres of grasslands have heen swept. More than 1000 people, including A.I.F, soldiers, are fighting the fires. Four of the.victims have not vet been identified. Thirteen firefighters have been admitted to hospital suffering from severe burns.

GERMAN EXECUTION (Reed. 5.35 p.m.) LONDON, Dec. I'.'. Wilhelm Weber, a Hanover dentist, ■was executed for spreading propaganda favourable to the enemy. Tne German news agency says Weber tried by propaganda and lies to shake the faith in Germany of women and other patients. LIBERATORS RAID SIAM (Reed. 11 p.m.) LONDON, Dec. 2.'? Liberators flew from China to Siam on Tuesday to attack railway yards. The raid was officially described in Chungking as highly successful. MR. NASH IN SYDNEY SYDNEY, Dec. The Now Zealand Minister to Washington, the Hon. Walter Nash, had interviews yesterday with a number of prominent .Australian citizens, including the State Premier, Mr. W. J. McKell, and the Minister of Labour, Mr. Hamilton Knight, also Sir Iven Maekay, High Commissioner-elect to India, and the representative in Australia of British shipping, Sir Thomas Gordon, with whom he discussed shipping matters. Mr. _ Nash_ subsequently lunched with Captain Potjer, of a hospital ship, and met New Zealand nurses and voluntary aids. Mr. Nash to-day discussed several matters with the Federal Minister of External Affairs, Dr. Evatt, and he is to leave later for Canberra to meet the Prime Minister, Mr. J. Curtin.