20 SHIPS SUNK

New Zealand Herald, Volume 81, Issue 25049, 13 November 1944, Page 6

20 SHIPS SUNK

JAPANESE_CONVOYS TROOPS FOR LEYTE OB3IOC BAT ATTACKS (REINFORCEMENTS LAND By Telegraph—Press Association— Copyright (Reed. 8.30 p.m.) WASHINGTON, Kov. 11 General Mac Arthur's communique states that a Japanese convoy of four large cargo ships and 15 destroyers, bearing troop reinforcements, arrived in Ormoc Bay on Thursday, but American bombers and fighters from local and rear bases sank three of the four enemy transports, of approximately 5000 tons each, and seven of the 15 destroyers. United States fighters also shot down 16 enemy planes and probably destroyed five others over the Ormoc area. United States losses were four bombers and four fighters. Another enemy convoy attempted to reach Ormoc this morning with reinforcements, says a later communique. Four large transports, escorted by six destroyers, approaching under cover of darkness, were caught by our aircraft entering Ormoc Pay. Third Fleet earlier planes destroyed the entire convoy with an estimated 8000 enemy troops aboard, only remnants reaching the shore.

Vicious Aerial Battle Other enemy shipping in the Visayas area was also attacked, but the results aro not reported. Simultaneously Army lighters attacked enemy shore installations at Ormoc. shooting down 19 aircraft, with only minor losses. A spokesman at General Mac Arthur's headquarters, after the attack on the first convoy, said the enemy troops mentioned in the communique were in addition to 35,000 reported in action yesterday. Judging from the size o£ the . transports, the enemy landed between 1 6000 and- 10,000 men. The spokesman estimated that these reinforcements raised the Japanese total to the number they had on Leyte when General Mac- ' Arthur landed. The appearance of the enemy convoy ' 'touched off a vicious 24-hour aerial battle, featured by determined Japanese aerial protection and extremely s heavy enemy flak. However, our aircraft apparently failed to arrive in time to prevent the landing of the majority of the troops and material aboard the enemy transports. Other Bombing Missions General Mac Arthur's communique added that heavy units in adverse i .weather bombed the Davao aerodrome. Air patrols to the north-west sank two | small freighters and bombed aero- , dromes on Palawan and Mactan Islands. Fighter-bombers swept bivouac areas : and aerodromes in Halmahera, destroying two enemy planes and damaging installations. , , Air patrols bombed enemy defence positions at Atamboea and installations near Dilvet and in the Kai Islands. , Heavy units and attack planes bombed defence positions and enemy concentra- ! tions in the Wewak area. Seventy-seven j tons of bombs were dropped op. supply installations in the Rabaul occupied i area in New Ireland and Bougainville. destroying numerous buildings and . starting fires. K' A Navy Department communique reports that United States submarines have sunk the following vessels in the Pacific and Far East: —One light cruiser, one medium converted seaplane . tender, three medium cargo vessels and one medium tanker. CARRIER STRENGTH AIR LOSSES REPLACED AMERICANS IN THE PACIFIC XEecd. 8.30 p.m.) WASHINGTON, Nov. 11 "The United States in a very few months will have twice as many carriers operating in the Western Pacific as six months ago, when the carrier fleet could put into the air at least 1000 planes, said Rear-Admiral George Murray, commander of the air force for the Pacific Fleet. "Moreover, all United States naval aircraft losses in the last two months, including losses in the Philippines naval battles, have been replaced • already. "United States planes, operating from Leyte cover the entire China „Sea. Japan still has hundreds of very good pilots, but her losses have been so tremendous that we wonder how lons the supply will last. The majority of Japanese pilots are now poor and inexperienced; indeed, one American pilot reported that before he could close in • for a shot a Japanese pilot bailed out of an undamaged plane. On the other ! hand, the excellent American training has greatly increased the ratio of Japanese to American losses, of which one in- ; stance is 120 downed to only three Americans, and that is no fairy tale." GALLANT DESTROYER FIGHT WITH BATTLESHIP (Special Australian Correspondent) (CRecd. 5.35 p.m.) SYDNEY. Nor. 12 A lone attack on an unidentified ■ Japanese battleship was made by the Australian destroyer Arunta, 1870 tons, f during the naval battles of the Philippines. The action was fought southeast of the Gulf of Leyte. With her 4.7 in guns the Arunta fought a duel against the 14in guns of the Japanese battleship and penetrated to a close range to fire salvoes of torpedoes. Several hits were scored. The Australian cruiser Shropshire, 6830 tons, also scored hits on an enemy battleship belioved to be the Yamashiro, 29,330 tons. American ships joined in and after an action which lasted all night the blazing enemy battleship keeled over and sank. -ENEMY SUPPLY LINES ALLIED THREAT ADMITTED '(ilecd. 6.35 p.m.) WASHINGTON, Nov. 11 The Tokyo radio says a warning has been given to the Japanese garrisons in the Netherlands East Indies and Malaya that they may expect henceforth only a few supplies from Japan > 'because of the Allied domination of Japan's communication lines. The Government had foreseen such a possibility «ven before tho war, but only recently had to think about decisions _ for preparedness in case of complete isolation. *, The radio added that the Govern- , ment was preparing the southern regions to rely as little as possible on personnel and material sent from Japan. \ POLITICS IN PERSIA GOVERNMENT RESIGNS TEHERAN. Nov. 10 The Prime Minister of Persia, Mohammed Saed, has tendered his resignation and that of his Government to tho Shah. Mohammed Saed first became head of the Persian Government on March 21. Ten days later he resigned, but formed a new Cabinet. On August 29 he again resigned, but was reappointed. The Russian press recently accused Mohammed Saed of being the tool of reactionaries and the enemies of freedom. The Soviet deputy-Foreign Commissar, M. Kavtaradze, who was chief , of the Russian oil delegation to Persia, said that Mohammed Saed's disloyal attitude to the Soviet TJnion over oil concessions precluded further i ition with him.