SURPRISE ATTACK

Otago Daily Times, Issue 25561, 14 June 1944, Page 6

SURPRISE ATTACK

NEW ZEALAND CORSAIRS

■ ARTILLERY CONVOY BLASTED I (R.N.Z.A.F. Official News Service) I BOUGAINVILLE, June 11. ■ In a devastating surprise attack ■R.N.Z.A.F. Corsairs pounced on Japanese artillery being moved along the ■road from southern Bougainville toIwards. Allee Beach, destroying or cripIpling six guns and blasting several I ammunition carriers. , /; ' The New Zealanders, led by Flying Officer A. G. Pierard, of Palmerston North, were engaged in a routine search when they caught a fleeting glimpse of a heavily-camouflaged convoy through a gap in the jungle where the road was hidden under a .thick green canopy of foliage. The Corsairs came screaming into the attack with their guns blazing, and in a few seconds the camouflage netting over the objects on the road vanished in the fire, leaving guns and limbers clearly exposed. In the meanwhile the Japanese,' with the convoy vanished into the jungle with some of the trucks. Pounding streams of incendiaries and tracers into the limbers, the New Zealanders came down to tree-top height, and a few seconds later an ammunition carrier blew up, the explosions rocking the aircraft. “ The enemy guns were tossed all over the road,” said Pierard “We could see at least three completely smashed and three others badly battered. It was certainly fun while it lasted.” The Corsairs were running out of ammunition, so they returned to their base, where shortly afterwards Flying .Officer Pierard was taking off to lead another RJN.Z.A.F. squadron back to the attack, accompanied by Avenger bombers and American fighterbombers. The area was heavily plastered, including the surrounding jungle, where Japanese personnel and additional vehicles were hiding. The whole convoy suffered severe losses and damage.