BELIEVED SUNK

Otago Daily Times, Issue 24826, 28 January 1942, Page 5

BELIEVED SUNK

ENEMY AIRCRAFT CARRIER MACASSAR STRAIT CONVOY AMERICAN SUCCESSES ,Rec. 11 p.m.) WASHINGTON, Jan. 26. A navy communique states that United States naval forces scored further successes against the Japanese convoy in Macassar Strait, heavy hits on enemy destroyers and transports having been effected. An American submarine torpedoed an enemy aircraft carrier, which is believed to have been sunk. A motor torpedo boat sank a 5000-ton enemy vessel in a second raid close into Subic Bay. The torpedo boat approached to close range in spite of heavy shore fire and the enemy’s net and boom defences. An earlier message said that it was now known that the air and sea attacks on the Japanese convoy in the Straits of Macassar cost the enemy more than 30 ships. Ten were sunk, five were probably sunk, and 17 were damaged. The following communique from the headquarters of the South-west Pacific Command was issued by the Dutch Government in London: — “ On January 25 action by Allied air forces against an enemy convoy off the Macassar Straits was continued. American Flying Fortresses sank a large transport ship and scored a direct hit on one cruiser, while Dutch bombers near Balik Papan, on the coast of Borneo, scored four direct hits on two cruisers and one transport. One of our bombers was lost, “ Further reports from United States naval forces which attacked the convoy showed that five hits were scored with torpedoes, apart from the damage inflicted by gunfire. “During the past 24 hours enemyaircraft have been active in small numbers over wide areas. In an attack on a Netherlands East Indies aerodrome two enemy aircraft were shot down by anti-aircraft fire and one by a Dutch fighter.” The sinking of a Japanese destroyer and possibly a cruiser by a _ Dutch submarine was announced m a Batavia communique, which states: “The enemy continued his activity in the outer provinces without obtaining any definite results. . „ “A submarine of the Royal Netherlands Navy carried put a night attack on enemy forces in the Straits of Macassar and sank one Japanese destroyer. A hit was scored with a torpedo on a Japanese cruiser. As the submarine was strongly attacked by enemy ships it was impossible to observe whether the cruiser sank. “An aerodrome in the outer provinces was heavily bombed by Japanese bombers, which came over in three waves of 27 aircraft and succeeded in interrupting telephone communications. There were no casualties, and none of our aircraft was lost. Afterwards the same aerodrome was machine-gunned by four fighters without result.” AUSTRALIAN AIR SUCCESS THREE ENEMY SHIPS HIT MELBOURNE, (Rec. 11.45 p.m.) Jan. 27. The reported occupation by the Japanese of Kieta, in the Solomons, is now regarded as incorrect, said the Minister for the Army, Mr F. M. Forde, to-day. Its unconfirmed occupation was announced last Friday. Mr Forde added that nothing has been heard from the Rabaul garrison for two days. Communication with the Bulolo goldfields, New Guinea, was re-established yesterday. The militia and the Australian infantry on New Britain Island are believed to be holding out.

A report has been received by the Minister for Air, Mr A. S. Drakeford, that three Japanese transports were hit and damaged in Rabaul harbour by th Australia Air Force during the night. One ship was observed burning furiously and another was ablaze. A third is known to have been hit. All the aircraft returned to their base safely.