MANY SHIPS SUNK

Pahiatua Herald, Volume XLXII, Issue 15242, 7 January 1943, Page 3

MANY SHIPS SUNK

RABAUL ARMADA SUFFERS i AMERICAN .BOMBERS STRIKE. UNABATED AIR RAIDS SUCCESSFUL. United Press Assn.—By Electric Telegraph—Copyright. SYDNEY, January 0. j Nine, probably ten, ships were I destroyed when Flying Fortresses | and Liberators struck heavily afainst i the great Japanese Rabaul armada I at noon on Tuesday. These latest I losses estimated at 50,000 tons bring the total of ships destroyed in the Rabaul area since Christmas to 21. liie destruction of s ( > many ships oflers a reliable guide to the formidable proportions oi the newest enemy fleet to assemble in the Southern Pacific. Its likely activities are believed to be linked with further Japanese concentration in the Northern Solomons wher© the waters are described as “infested with enemy ! destroyers. Allied bombers are losI ing no opportunity of striking against the enemy vessels, which ar© reported to be heavily laden and strongly protected by warships. Most of our previous raids have been made at dawn, but in their latest midday attack our bombers laced a terrifi© anti-aircraft barrage as well as fighter opposition. Six intercepting Zeros were shot down, while we lost on© bomber. Eight qf the ships destroyed were medium-sized merchant vessels. The ninth was a destroyer tender of between 5000 and 7000 tons. All the ships received direct hits with 10001 b. bombs. The tenth vessel claimed as probably destroyed was a destroyer tied alonside the tender. Liberators made tlie first run, having to figlit their way through a formation of ten to fifteen Zeros, r ortresses in the second attacking wav© hud ten fighters to contend with. Both formations claimed an” equal kill of Zeros. When the bombers left the target area, eight of tli© ships which received direct hits wer© ablaze and sinking. News of this highly successful raid provides an adequate background for the current Australian discussions on th© South-west Pacific war strategy. The attack on Rabaul, however, was only one of several Allied air offensive operations in the past 24 hours. Japanese aerodromes at Gasinata, Madang. Lae. Sala-maua, I uiloro and Timor were raided. AI- j lied medium bombers and attack planes bombed and strafed enemy installations at Sanananda, where our ground troops are reported to be in on the enemy. Following the occupation of the Buna salient Genera IMacArthur received tlie following message of congratulation from tlie United States °f Staff. General Marshall: >\ e ar© stimulated and encouraged by th© news of completing the enemy s destruction in the Buna sector. i know the ferrific difficulties under which you o-perated and the handicaps under which you initiated and staged your campaign. Many thanks and congratulations to you and all concerned.”