JAPANESE FIGHTERS WORSTED

Dominion, Volume 37, Issue 16, 14 October 1943, Page 5

JAPANESE FIGHTERS WORSTED

Battle Over Wewak

(Received October 13, 9.50 p.m.) SYDNEY, October 13. Against odds of 11 to one, an Allied fighter ipatrol over "Wewak, New Guinea, yesterday destroyed eight Japanese fighters and probably destroyed two others. Four Thunderbolts comprised an intercepting patrol, aud they attacked an enemy formation of 32 fighters and 12 bombers. They first destroyed a Zero at 20,000 ft., aud then tackled the rest ot the formation at 12,000 ft. General MacArthur’s . latest communique, which reports this air engagement, also reports the destruction by Liberators with two direct hits of a small enemy tanker at Fakfak, in Dutch New Guinea. , T An Allied night patrol attacked a Japanese convoy of six merchantmen sneaking into St. George’s Channel, between New Britain and New Ireland, on Monday night, scoring a hit ou one ship and near-misses against others. The convoy was possibly ileejng from the recent Vella Lavella naval engagement when the Japanese lost a cruiser and two destroyers. This attack on the convoy was the third against enemy shipping off Cape St. George since the weekend.