BEAT OFF THE JAPS

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 5, Issue 62, 8 June 1942, Page 5

BEAT OFF THE JAPS

BRITISH MERCHANT SHIPS' FIGHT

How two British merchant ships escorted by two oi' H.M. ships successfully fought off a heavy and prolonged attack by numerous Japanese aircraft during, the passage of the small convoy from Singapore was told in a terse report covering less than one side of a typewritten ■ letter-head by the master of one of the ships which recently loaded; in Wellington one of her usual cargoes of meat and dairy produce. It was a moving story but told withal in such a formal business-like manner as: to suggest that saving his ship from a savage attack by bombing aircraft was just part of the ordinary duties of a shipmaster. In fact, this modest mariner devoted a good part of his report to giving credit to other people for the survival of the: ship. Carrying evacuated military personnel and civilian refugees and' a considerable quantity of valuable aviation equipment and stores, this big vessel, in company with a smaller merchant ship, and under escort of an old cruiser and a sloop, was on passage from Singapore to Batavia Avlien the attack was made. A cargo ship with standing accommodation for only twelve passengers, she was carrying more than 2,000 persons including a number of women and children.

In the first attack at 9 o'clock In the morning, six Japanese divebombers swooped down over the ship and scored three direct lilts which killed or severely injured 29 persons and caused considerable damage. Two bombs exploded well aft the starboard siide. The third went through the after end of the boat-deck, port side, badly damaging a lifeboat and exploding in the engineer officers' quarters where much havoc was wrought. Fires were started ill each instance, said the master's, report, "these being quickly brought under control and extinguished." As a result of this Initial attack 12 military personnel were killed and 17 military and ship's personnel severely injured. Two of the military injured subsequently died of wounds. The ship's people Avounded were the second officer who sustained a severe injury to his left arm and an able seaman who received a shrapnel wound in the right thigh. The wounded were immediately attended to by R.A.F. medical officers and Australian Army nurses.

In meeting the first dive-bombing attack intense anti-aircraft fire from all four ships, particularly the warship, resulted in one bomber being definitely shot down—it was seen to crash into the sea some disstance away, while another Avas seen to be hard hit as it broke away with smoke pouring from its tail.

The intermittent attacks which followed and lasted; for four hours were made by formations totalling some 57 or more planes—"according lo the numbers actually seen and counted":—all of the twin-engine bomber type. Each of these later attacks was carried out from high level,, estimated at from 7,000 to 10,000 feet.

"A. very considerable number of bombs Avas dropped in each instance but the evasive action resorted' to succeeded, in reducing, these efforts at the ship's destruction to> near misses ... In the course of these attacks Avhole sah r oes of bonlbs dropped: very close to on both sides) of the ship, often not more than 10 to 12 feet aAvay. It Avas during one of these that a bomb struck and completely carried the lifeboat already badly damaged! by blast in the initial attack. The final attack upon our ship was made by a formation of nine aircraft at about 1.10 p.m., which again she miraculously escaped a series of extremely ncai misses on both sides. This terminated the series of attacks upon the convoy, mainly directed, it seemed. against H.M.S. (the cruiser) and —-, presumably in view of

these ships providing the largest and therefore the most attractive

targets.''

One has to read well between the lines ol" this modest report to realise the hell those four ships went through, for four long hours—particularly this sorely overcrowded vessel. Her master, who already holds a decoration awarded in recognition of his gallant devotion to duty in another ship earlier in; the war, gives all the praise to other people.