AIR SEA WAR

New Zealand Herald, Volume 81, Issue 24929, 26 June 1944, Page 4

AIR SEA WAR

HEAVY ENEMY LOSSES MANY MORE PLANES DOWN (Reed. J 0.10 p.m.) WASHINGTON. Juno 25 "Carrier aircraft of a fast carrier task force swept Iwo and Jima, in the Bonin Islands, on Friday," says a Pacific Fleet communique. "We shot down more than 60 enemy planes attempting interception. Twelve enemy planes found our carriers, but all were shot down by our combat air patrols. We lost four fighters. Our surface ships suffered no damage. " Carrier-based aircraft attacked Pagan Island on Thursday and sank four small cargo vessels and one sampan, damaged two small cargo ships and 12 sampans, destroyed four aircraft and probably destroyed two others, destroyed a wharf and fuel dumps and damaged runways and buildings. We shot down one bomber and five fighters some distance from our carriers." Submarine Sinks Carrier It is unoflicially estimated that the Japanese Navy in the last fortnight may have lost between five and ten per cent of its air force, says the New York Times correspondent at Pearl Harbour. The t-otal of enemy planes destroyed is estimated at nearer 800 than 700, because the official score does not include any aircraft which may have been on the Shokaku class carrier announced as probably sunk on June ]8 or the Havaiaka class carrier definitely sunk on June 19, The Commander of the United States Pacific Fleet, Admiral C. \V. Niniitz, announced that a United States submarine probably sank a 27,000-ton air-craft-carrier of the Shokaku class, which was hit last Sunday by three torpedoes. A Pacific Fleet communique adds that more detailed information is now available concernirg the attack by Fifth Fleet aircraft-carriers against units of the Japanese Fleet on Monday. "One small carrier of unidentified class, previously reported damaged, was sunk," the communique states. "Two additional Japanese bombers were shot down by carrier aircraft returning to carriers after attacking the Japanese force." Clash Off Guam Island An eye-witness account reveals that the United States fleet was orf Guam Island, the southern-most of the Marianas, when attacked on Sunday by Japanese carrier planes. Admiral Spruance disposed the fleet, a correspondent says, so as to prevent an attack on the American transports and ground troops at Saipan. This move prevented Japanese landings to retuel and "made it virtually certain that no planes survived the aerial battle, which raged over 100 miles of sea.'' Enemy personnel losses were almost 100 per cent since Admiral Spruance controlled the area. "As lor aircraft —on one Guam field only five planes remained the next morning of over 100 the Japanese had i planned to save there," the eut added. "We never did catch the Japanese fleet, and to-day nothing remains anywhere in the waters east of the Philippines except a few pieces of floating wreckage and some huge oil slicks." SUNDAY FOOTBALL KEEN PUBLIC INTEREST The public interest in Rugby League football at Walker Park, Point Chevalier, on Sunday afternoons, was shown vesterday in an attendance of about 2000 spectators. This number _ was smaller than usual owing to the wintry weather, according to officials, and attendances had previously reached 4000. There were over 100 motor-cars parked on the borders of the reserve yesterday, and it was stated that extra tramears had been made available for the past three weeks to cope with the increased tra flic. A special association has been formed to control the play and seven teams have entered the competition. The scheme is sponsored by the New Zealand "All Golds" Old Boys' Association, and there is an "All Golds" team, comprising ex-league players, participating. Other teams represent business employees' and other sports clubs, and include a railways, a watersiders and a clothing factory team. Three games are played each Sunday afternoon, and yesterday was the eighth day of play. Sunday was chosen for games because many of the players already belonged to established clubs which had fixtures on Saturdays, and also because a number worked on Saturdays. No charge is made for admission, nor is there any collection, although officials said vesterday that they would be prepared to take a collection for patriotic purposes if permission were given by the authorities. The games are played on the park with the permission of the Auckland Citv Council.

DUNEDIN INDUSTRIES NEW FACTORIES TO OPEN (0.C.) DUNEDIN. Saturday Several new industries are being established in Dunedin. The secretary of the Manufacturers' Association, Mr. I* 1 . L. llitchens, said that the preliminary steps had been taken for the establishment of an industry which would eventually employ HOO girls and 50 men. and a number of subsidiary factories were also being set up. One of the subsidiary industries would manufacture drums to meet the needof the linseed oil factory. Mr. Hitchens expressed the opinion that housing and other problems in Wellington and other northern oiticwere driving industries away from those areas. An Auckland firm which manufactures men's, women's and children' 1 - underwear has established a hranch lactory in Dunedin and lias already started production. This factoiy, whicl is the first of its kind in Otago, will eventually employ 100 girls.