MORE JAPANESE LOSSES

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 87, Issue 62, 16 March 1943, Page 5

MORE JAPANESE LOSSES

ALLIES ATTACK CONVOY BOMBS ON~ENEMY BASES (Special Australian Correspondent—N.Z.P.A.) Reed. 10.45 p.m. Sydney, March 15. Two more ships, a large destroyer and a 7000-ton merchant vessel, have been hit by Allied heavy bombers in attacks on the Japanese convoy attempting to reinforce the enemy’s expanding northern New Guinea base at Wewak, 350 miles north-west of Lae. The 8000-ton transport set on fire on Saturday evening was later seen to explode, and the 4000-ton vessel (now revealed as a tanker), is believed to have been sunk. The latest reported Allied air attacks were made on shore installations at Wewak on Sunday morning when the convoy was just outside the harbour. It is possible that some of the ships have since entered port. Liberators making the latest raid eneduntcred heavy anti-air-craft fire from ships and shore. Although Zeros were seen on the Wewak aerodrome, the enemy did not attempt fighter interception. >•

The damage so far sustained by Japanese vessels was inflicted in our air attacks up to Saturday night. All the attacks on vessels are believed to have been made at night, and our bombers have been hampered by heavy weather as well as by extreme distance. Wewak is 480 miles from the main Allied New Guinea base at Port Moresby. The raids so far reported have been made by Flying Fortresses and Liberators.

Official reports state that fewer aircraft are taking part than were engaged in the Bismarck Sea battle. No estimate has been announced of the number of enemy troops carried by the convoy, which is one of two sighted off Maus Island, in the Admiralty Group, last Thursday. Nothing further has been heard of the second convoy, but it may at a later stage endeavour to join the ships now at Wewak.

General MacArthur's communique to-day gave the first official warning of the threat to Australia from Japanese concentrations in the Arafura and Banda Seas areas. Previous warnings of these concentrations emanated from political circles. Today's communique specifies the areas of Ambon, former important Dutch East Indies naval base, and Dobo, in the Aru Islands. Ambon is 580 miles from Darwin and Dobo 500 miles. Enemy installations at Dobo were recently blasted out of existence by Allied air attacks and the Japanese were forced to abandon the town. Several recent raids have been made on shipping in the Ambon area. A spokesman at General MacArthur’s Headquarters to-day declined to amplify the brief communique statement. He said elaboration was not possible at this stage. To-day’s South-west Pacific headquarters communique reads as follows :

North-western Sector. Our air reconnaissance shows a growing concentration of enemy transports and cargo ships in the Ambon-Dobo area. The enemy's ground forces there are being reinforced and new airfields are being constructed. Timor.—Billi: One of our heavy units bombed the town area with unobserved results. Two enemy fighters attempting interception were driven off. One was seen smoking and is believed to have been destroyed. North-Eastern Sector. Solomons. —Buka: Our medium bombers executed a four-hour night harassing raid on an aerodrome under bad weather conditions. Bombs fell across the runway and in dispersal bays. Results could not be observed.

New Britain.—Ubili: One of our heavy units strafed the wharf and adjacent installations.

Kimbe Bay: One of our heavy units strafed a small enemy vessel off Cape Hoskins. Gasmata: One of our heavy units bombed the aerodrome.

Cape Gloucester: One of our heavy units strafed anti-aircraft positions. New Guinea. —Wewak: Our heavy bombers, in low-level attacks on an enemy convoy, scored a direct hit with a 5001 b. bomb near the bow of a large destroyer, strafing the decks during a bombing run. A 7000-ton cargo ship was also hit. The 8000ton transport previously reported as hit and on fire was seen to explode on both sides and was last seen blazing from stem to stern. The 4000-ton cargo ship previously reported hit was later ascertained to be a tanker. It was not subsequently seen and is believed to have been sunk. Co-ordin-ated with the attacks on shipping other deavy bombers attacked the aerodrome and town area. Heavy anti-aircraft fire was encountered from ships and shore but there was no attempt at Interception. All our planes returned. Madang: On,e of our heavy units dropped 10001 b. bombs on the aerodrome runway and adjacent installations.

MACARTHUR’S THANKS

REPLY TO N.Z. MESSAGE (P.A.) Wellington, March 15. The Prime Minister, the Hon. P. Fraser, has received the following message from General MacArthur through Mr. J. Curtin: "I thank you most heartily for your inspiring message of congratulation on the Bismarck Sea Battle. All ranks will appreciate your thoughtfulness in sending it and your generosity of expression. Our brotherhood of defence is strengthened by your words.”