SMASHING BLOW

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 86, Issue 67, 20 March 1942, Page 5

SMASHING BLOW

JAPANESE NAVAL LOSSES ACTION OFF NEW GUINEA ALLIES AVENGE JAVA SEA BATTLE (By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright.) London, March lb. A great naval success of the United Nations oft New Guinea is announced. The American and Australian air forces have dealt crippling blows to Japanese warships and transports oft the island. A communique issued in Washington says that no fewer than 23 Japanese ships were sunk or damaged. Eight of these vessels were cruisers or destroyers. In this, the third big attack on Japanese shipping since the Pacific war began, all this havoc was wrought with the loss of only one aircraft. Of the eight warships, two heavy cruisers are believed to have been sunk or gutted, one light cruiser probably sunk and one damaged, one destroyer probably sunk, with two more possibles, and one large destroyer damaged. Considerable damage was done to shore installations of enemyheld points, airfield runways, and anti-aircraft batteries. Threeenemy seaplanes were shot down. Details, exclusive of damage to cruisers and destroyers, are as follows: Sunk or gutted: Five transports and many small boats. Probably sunk: One gunboat and one minesweeper. Damaged: One aircraft tender, two troopships, five transports, and one gunboat. The Navy Department communique issued in Washington described tin raid as resulting in the smashing of the Japanese invasion force concentrated near Salamaua and Lae.