ATTACKS ON DARWIN

Otago Daily Times, Issue 24945, 18 June 1942, Page 3

ATTACKS ON DARWIN

FOURTH SUCCESSIVE DAY ONLY LIGHT DAMAGE CAUSED (N.Z.P.A. Special Aust. Correspondent) (Rec. 1.15 a.m.) SYDNEY, June 17. Tuesday's heavy enemy air raid on Port Moresby, combined with the fourth successive day attack on Darwin, has confounded premature conclusions in Australia that Japanese air weight had been shifted from the north-east to the north-west. The Japanese ability to deliver their blows in strength in both quarters has persuaded most commentators to the view that the enemy retains powerful air strength throughout the South-west Pacific and awaits only a more favourable opportunity for its employment. In their four latest raids on Darwin the Japanese have senfoover more than 160 bombers and fighters. They have lost 13 * planes, while the Allies have lost six. Darwin has now had 19 air raids. . Again the damage was light The bombs dropped were mainly anti' personnel and incendiaries.

Great courage is reported to have been displayed by a subaltern and a sergeant. When a fire occurred near a machine gun post they ran through the flames at least three times to drag out men who had been trapped. "Never have so many come so far for so little," remarked an R.A.A.F. officer, commenting on the latest Japanese raids on Darwin. The most serious material losses have been in the troops' living quarters.' Australia is chuckling sympathetically at the misfortunes of a middleaged Englishman, who rushed into a burning building immediately after the bombing. "I had 70 beautiful 'quid' tucked away," he said, " but as soon as I got inside the door my ammunition caught fire and started popping all over the place, so I gave up." Tuesday's fighting was the biggest flare-up in the northern air war for many weeks. A fighter escort for our bombers attacking Lae was provided for the first time. The need for such action has long been stressed, and has been made necessary by the high performance of the newest type of Zero employed by the Japanese.