GRIM ORDEAL.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 87, Issue 22, 28 January 1943, Page 1

GRIM ORDEAL.

RAID ON BROOME. GRAPHIC STORY TOLD. Sydney, Jan. 21. Further details of the Japanese air attack on flying-boats laden with refugees from Java to Broome on March 3 last have been released. As previously reported, at least 15 flying-boats, the occupants of which were mostly women and children, were destroyed. The death roll was heavy. The destroyed aircraft included a Qantas flying-boat and Catalinas and Dorniers, many of them Dutch. A vivid description of the raid is given by Captain L. J. Brain, operations manager of Qantas Empire Airways, who witnessed the attack. Extracts from his official diary released by the company are:“9.30 a.m.—Corinna (Quantas machine) is being refuelled and 25 passengers and crew are waiting on the wharf with their baggage ready to go aboard. (Captain) Ambrose is ready to take his service and I am writing a letter to the M.D. Am interrupted by the unmistakable sound of machineguns, and pop outside the hotel to see a number of Japanese fighters diving on and shooting up the flying-boats on the harbour. Got over to the shore and stood by watching it. Flying-boats Ablaze. “There are 15 flying-boats and three of them are already alight and burning furiously. The Japanese fighters are not camouflaged, but are bright silver and red spots under their wings. As they take it in turns to dive down on another flying-boat, the tracer bullets can be seen flashing into the water and the slower speed of the cannon shells can be noted. As there is no defence or opposition it is apparent that pretty soon they will burn and sink every flying-boat and probably the refuelling luggers and other watercraft near by. “Shouts and screams can be heard coming across the water from the burning boats, and it appears that when the Japanese have finished there will be nothing left afloat to rescue the survivors. The natives are in a great panic and will not assist me to draw a rowboat down the mud to the water. I find I am no strong enough to do this alone owing to fever and I absence of food for some days past. “Malcolm Miller (Mansfield and Company) appears at the right moment and, between us, we get the rowboat into the water. The Japanese have finished off all the flying-boats and are now proceeding over the land aerodrome. Rescue Efforts. “After getting about half a mile we could see heads bobbing in the water and hear shouts for help. On coming up we found seven Dutchmen, two of them supporting a young Dutch woman who was in a state of collapse. Another was swimming on his back supporting a young baby and keeping its face above water. The others were keeping company with a Dutch boy of about eight, who was still able to swim and support himself. "We got the woman and baby, also the boy and three of the most exhausted men, aboard the rowboat, and the remaining four clung to the edge. We could not handle any more, so returned to the nearest mangrove beach. “Meanwhile, to my surprise, I noticed that, although the flying-boats were destroyed, two luggers, which had been engaged in refuelling, were apparently undamaged, and were rescuing other survivors in large numbers.’’