MORE FIGHTER OPPOSITION

Press, Volume LXXIX, Issue 23966, 5 June 1943, Page 5

MORE FIGHTER OPPOSITION

RAIDS NORTH OF AUSTRALIA LIBERATOR FORCES ENGAGED (N.Z. Press Association—Copyright.) 'Rec. 10 p.m.) SYDNEY, June 4. Increased Japanese fighter opposition to Allied bombing raids was encountered north of Australia on Thursday, In two skirmishes the enemy lost two Zeros. Thunderstorms and extremely turbulent air conditions brought air operations in the Solomons Sea area to a halt. Liberators bombing Lautem, on the north coast of Timor, were engaged by four Zeros, one of which was shot down in flames. Shipping was the target for an attack before dawn, but General MacArthur’s communique today does not report the results. A second force of Liberators returning from a bombing raid on Babo, in the McCluer Gulf, New Guinea, was intercepted by six enemy floatplanes over Taberfane at the south tip of the Am Islands. One floatplane was destroyed and a second was damaged. From both raids all the Liberators returned. Medium bombers made a dawn raid on the Madang area in northern New Guinea with unstated results. A heavy reconnaissance bomber attacked an undisclosed target on Jacquinto Bay, on the south coast of New Britain. This is the full extent of air activity in the south-west Pacific reported by General MacArthur’s latest communique. (Rec. 9 p.m.) SYDNEY, June 4. Miracles of maintenance and salvage are being performed by the Allied Air Force ground staffs in their New Guinea bush workshops. Engine fitters and instrument repairers can work inside an aircraft for only limited periods, because the temperature inside the fuselage is well above 120 degrees Fahrenheit, causing perspiration to pour from the men’s bodies. Wrenches and spanners become too hot to handle with comfort. The Australian ground staff of a Boston medium bomber unit point with pride to a battle-scarred aeroplane which they saved from the scrapheap by their ingenuity. Badly damaged over Salamaua, the bomber turned on its side in landing, and the fuselage was badly ripped. The aeroplane, with a fine record of operational missions against the Japanese, was the unit’s favourite, and the maintenance men refused to send it to the scrapheap. They welded tflne whole side of another damaged aeroplane on to the veteran, which was in the air again within six weeks. “Without these men we could never get over the target,” said their commanding officer, who is the greatest admirer of the work of .his ground crew.

AIR OPERATIONS IN MAY

MINISTRY’S REVIEW INTENSIVE BOMBING OF GERMANY (8.0. W.) RUGBY, June 3. The elimination of the Axis forces in North Africa, leading to the opening of the sustained strategic bombing of the enemy in Europe from the south as well as the west, in addition to the offensive from Russia in the east, is the subjcrct taken first in the Air Ministry’s review of operations in May. The month was outstanding in that the Mohne and Eder dams were breached, the first discharge of 2000 tons of bombs on a German target was made, and a new record of intensive bombing was set up, In seven nights, from May 23 to May 29, more than 10,000 tons of bombs were dropped on the Ruhr area. The total dropped on Germany in the last three months was brought to 30,000 tons, and it led to propagandists in Germany starting arguments in favour of a bombing truce, with parallel threats of reprisals. Three other features of aerial activity are also noted. They are German losses in tip and run raids, although there was no deep penetration by these raiders; the success against U-boats; and the sustained effort by intruders and fighter-bombers over occupied territory. Berlin was attacked on six nights by small forces and day raids on German targets increased, one being made inside Germany and 16 on occupied territory. Intruder operations or offensive patrols were carried out on 23 nights. Enemy communications were seriously dislocated in Bomber Command’s heavy raids. The breaching of the Mohne and Eder dams contributed substantially to the damage. Photographs reveal the necessity of much heavy reconstruction. The largest single item is the Herdecke viaduct. The Ruhr railways are now so overburdened that evacuees are taken by water wherever possible. Many hundreds of mines were laid by bombers and incomplete reports show that two minesweepers, a motor vessel, and six steamers were sunk, while the Gneisenau, which struck a mine at the end of April, was beached, and is now lying on its side. Bombers flew anti-submarine patrols on 26 days. Attacks on enemy shipping were made on eight days and 10 nights. Fleet Air Arm Albacores m May attacked more than 70 vessels of all types. Royal Air Force escorts were flown for convoys daily. The total number of German raiders over Britain in May did not reach half the number of bombers sent out in more thaft one of Bomber Command’s attacks. . „ In the Mediterranean theatre, in he six weeks ending May 2, nearly 27.000 serties were flown by squadrons other than the Desert Air Force. In offensive operations over Europ>from home bases 82 enemy aircraft were destroyed. Over Britain 50 enemy machines were destroyed, making a total of 132 accounted for by home-based aircraft. On all these operations the Royal Air Force lost 316 aircraft over Europe and none over Britain. . „ ...,,, Losses announced by the Middle East Command were six. against 40 Axis machines, of which Malta-based aeroplanes destroyed 13. Allied headquarters in North Africa announced the destruction of 337 aeroplanes in May for the loss of 108 Allied aircraft. In India. 16 enemy aeroplanes were destroyed for the loss of 14. DR. BENES IN CANADA IBOW) RUGBY. June 3. Dr. E. Benes, the Czechoslovak President, arrived in Ottawa to-day, states an agency message. He was welcomed by the Governor-General (the Earl of Athlone), the Prime Minister (Mr Mackenzie King), the Canadian Cabinet, and the staff of the Czech Legation. Later he addressed a joint meeting of members of the Senate and House of Commons. He also gave a press conference. Dr. Benes said he believed that after the war. pre-Munich Czech boundaries would be restored, but, he added, Czechoslovakia would be ready to discuss the problem with the United Nations.