MODS WORK OF ALLIED MR FORCES

Auckland Star, Volume LXXIII, Issue 121, 25 May 1942, Page 5

MODS WORK OF ALLIED MR FORCES

PACIFIC ZONES

Constant Vigil Kept North

Of Australia

United Press Association.—Copyright. Rec. noon. SYDNEY, this day.

In good weather and bad Australian and American reconnaissance planes are carrying out some of the most arduous and valuable work of the Pacific war, maintaining an unremitting watch on the enemy's moves in waters north-east of Australia, says a Sydney Morning Herald war correspondent. At present this reconnaissance work is a most vital feature of the battle for Australia. Some of the work is being directed and much of it carried out by an American Army Air Corps captain, who is one of the greatest reconnaissance flyers in the world. He has shown tremendous personal courage on some of the most vital special reconnaissance flights of the war.

The weather conditions in the area under observation, with constant low cloud, make the job most difficult. Enemy submarines are taking advantage of these climatic conditions by cruising on the surface under a low cloud cover to report our air activity, but in recent days they learned that it doesn't always pay. Two R.A.A.F. Hudson reconnaissance planes recently sighted two Japanese submarines on the surface and dived through the cloud to catch the enemy napping. Both submarines were either destroyed or badly damaged by bombs.

In addition to successful Allied air attacks on Lae and Rabaul described in Saturday's communique, Allied headquarters in a new communique issued on Sunday reported a continuance of our air activity. Sunday's communique said:—

Amboina (in the Banda Sea): Our air force attacked shipping. In strong interception three enemy fighters were destroyed. One of bur planes was lost in combat.

Lae: Our air force struck at the aerodrome, severely damaging two large bombers. Buildings were demolished. Eight enemy fighters failed to stop the attack. One of our planes has not returned.