JAPS PLANNED ATTACK ON AUCKLAND HARBOUR

Chronicle (Levin), 16 July 1947, Page 8

JAPS PLANNED ATTACK ON AUCKLAND HARBOUR

AUCKLAND, July 15. In a message from its speeial correspondent at Iwakune, Japan, the New Zealand Herald reveals that an attaek against Allied warships in Auckland Harbour was planned by tlie Japanese for Mav, 1942. In that month a Zero floatplane made reconnaissance flights over both Auckland and Sydney. One of the largest submarines of the Japanese Navy, a 330-ton craft carrying a speeial floatplane and a number of midget submarines, was sent near Auckland and only the reported absence of suitable targets saved the eity from attaek. Disappointed at Auckland the submarine eorpmander visited Sydney where the floatplane located targets iu the harbour. The midget submarines were launched and damage and casualties resulted frqm- their attaek durjng which three or four of the submarines were lost. The pilot of the Zero floatplane now lives in Xwakune. He is Lieutenant Susumu Ito, formerly of the Japanese Navy, and he has eheerfully told the story of his daring reconhaissanee flights in an unarmed aircraft.