DESTROYER SUNK

Dominion, Volume 36, Issue 14, 12 October 1942, Page 5

DESTROYER SUNK

Bombing Of Japanese

In Solomons (British Official Wireless.) RUGBY, October 10. A Japanese destroyer has been sunk and a heavy cruiser and an- . other destroyer damaged by United States bombers off Guadalcanal. A United States Navy Department communique discloses this and states: “On Monday night last, navy and marine corps dive-bomb-ers and torpedo planes from Guadalcanal attacked six enemy destroyers which were located by our search planes. These ships were attempting to assist enemy land- . ing operations on the north-western end. One destroyer was sunk and another damaged.

“On Wednesday,night,the enemy con-* tinned to reinforce his ' troops on ! Guadalcanal and navy and marine corps .dive-bombers and torpedo planes* assistedjby'fighters, attacked an enemy; surface'force'north-west of GuadaH canal. This force'contained er and five destroyers which were ering an enemy landing on the 'nor the western tip of island received-one torpedo hittandjwas.’further damaged by bombs. Four , enemy ( seaplanes were shot down, during ithe air battle which followed and two of our planes were lost. “An aeroplane observer reported that the cruiser was etill burning on' Friday afternoon?’ Coordinated Attacks.

Additional details of co-ordinated attacks on enemy shipping concentrations at the Japanese bases on the north-western Solomons reveal that the attacks on Monday last were carried out in three phases. First, Carrier-based planee from the Pacific task force attacked enemy ships in the iShortland Islands area and bombed the airfield at Kaita. Secondly, army heavy bombers from the South-west Pacific Command attacked Japanese bases at nearby Islands; and thirdly, army, navy and marine corps landlbased aircraft- in the 'South attacked enemy positions at Bunasand Gizo, also at Rekata Bay.’ the parking area was bombed]?and several planes damaged. At • GlzoVresults were not observed and at Tiekata Bay beach installations were bombed and two seaplanes shot down. One seaplane and a small launch were destroyed on the water.