GREAT ARMADA

Timaru Herald, Volume CLIII, Issue 22470, 4 January 1943, Page 5

GREAT ARMADA

Japanese Massing At

Rabaul

Continuous Allied Air Attacks

8v Telegraph—N Z Pres? Assn —Copvrlßh (8.5 p.m.) SYDNEY. Jan. 3. The Japanese have concentrated a great armada near Rabaul in New Britain. It is described as “no ordinary collection of ships” and is believed to include many merchantmen which could be used as transports. Japanese activities are causing speculation. Observers believe that the Rabaul concentration may be intended to relieve the hard-pressed Japanese forces on Guadalcanal, or for a fresh Papuan landing. Two of the 10 enemy ships set afire at Rabaul last week by General MacArthur’s bombers were transports, seven were freighters and one was a heavy cruiser. Enemy merchant shipping sunk or destroyed aggregated 67,000 tons. The fourth raid of the week on shipping at this key Japanese base was made early on Friday morning. Direct hits with 10001 b bombs were scored on three ships aggregating 24,000 tons. Six Flying Fortresses and Liberators made the raid. All three ships were observed to be burning fiercely. Two of five intercepting Zeros were shot down.

Conserving Air Strength

“The Japanese are again ready to hazard great losses in order to relieve their beleaguered soldiers on Guadalcanal,” says the Washington correspondent of the “New York Times.” “In view of the activity of the American air force, military experts do not fear that such an attack would be successful, but they do not minimise the strength which Japan is likely to use. It is also notable that the Japanese are not using fighters in the South Pacific, but are relying almost solely on flak to keep our bombers at a high altitude. This is interpreted to mean that they are husbanding their fighter strength for strafing operations rather than to sacrifice them on fruitless attacks against American bombers.” The widespread Allied air attacks on enemy bases were continued on Friday and Saturday. At Wide Bay south of Rabaul a Japanese submarine was damaged. In a raid on Gasmata airfield Fortresses dropped 10001 b bombs

on runways and dispersal bays, destroying at least one grounded Zero. The Japanese aerodrome at Buin in the northern Solomons was also attacked, while Lae aerodrome in New Guinea was the target for 1000 pounders. Numerous fires were started. The town area of Salamaua was raided. Japanese bambers again attacked the Allied port of Meruke on the south coast of Dutch New Guinea.