NICOBAR ISLANDS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 25673, 23 October 1944, Page 5

NICOBAR ISLANDS

EASTERN FLEET’S ATTACK

ENEMY QUITE UNPREPARED (Rec. 9.40 p.m.) LONDON, Oct. 21. Allied units of the Eastern Fleet, including battleships and carriers, operated in the Nicobar area during the week, reports a special South-east Asia communique. Operations were directed against the chain of islands, which contain airfields and small harbours useful to the enemy’s sea and air communications.

The operations opened with a bombardment of Car Nicobar, synchronised with air attacks on that island and on Nancowry Harbour. The enemy was apparently unprepared. The bombardment was carried out deliberately and lasted about two hours and a-half, during which targets of importance were successfully engaged. An air sweep over Car Nicobar strafed A.A. gun positions and airfields on which constructional machinery was hit. An air attack on Nancowry sank one medium-sized ship, damaged some small ships and started fires amongst harbour installations. A night bombardment of Car Nicobar followed.,

Operations against Car Nicobar and Nancowry were repeated later, with equally satisfactory results during both bombardment and air attack. On this occasion, however, the enemy was more prepared, and while our aircraft were returning there were attacks by hostile fighters. Our carrier-borne fighters decisively defeated this interference and the enemy lost at least eight planes. Further enemy attempts to interfere with the movements of the force failed. No damage or casualties were suffered by our ships, but 6ne naval bomber aircraft and three naval fighters did not return. The force was under the command of Vice-admiral Sir John Power.