JAPANESE SHIPS BOMBED

Southland Times, Issue 24833, 27 August 1942, Page 5

JAPANESE SHIPS BOMBED

Convoy Near Tip Of New Guinea

(Rec. 11 pun.) SYDNEY, August 26. While the Second Battle of the Solomon Islands is being fought 600 miles to the east, planes from General Douglas MacArthur’s command attacked a new convoy of enemy warships and transports just north of the south-east tip of New Guinea. A gun-boat was destroyed by a direct bomb hit and two transports were heavily strafed. The Allies lost one plane in the operation. The direction in which the Japanese convoy was headed and its objective have not been revealed by South-west Pacific headquarters, but it is significant that the attack on the vessels was made south of the Trobriand Islands, which is the nearest island group to the south-west tip of New Guinea. The raid was made by fighter-bombers, which are being increasingly used in this theatre. The convoy was officially described as “small.” The attack was only a small part of the widespread Allied air activity on Tuesday. Highly successful surprise attacks were made on grounded enemy fighters at Buna in two strafing raids. Our fighters wrecked a total of 13 Zeros, one of the biggest single bags of enemy fighters yet made. It is revealed that the field against which the attacks were launched has been used by the Japanese for some time in handling supplies. It is not known whether the enemy had used it for fighter operations, but war correspondents believe the Allies caught the Japanese off their guard before they had a chance to use their fighters. BARGES MACHINE-GUNNED Today’s communique also reports that our fighters machine-gunned and destroyed a number of enemy barges and supplies on the beach south of Buna. This indicates the spread of enemy activity along the north Papuan coast. Allied air forces also struck at two Japanese bases in the north-eastern sector, Rabaul and Gasmata. In a heavy night attack our bombers dropped eight tons of high explosive and incendiary bombs on aerodrome runways, hangars, dispersal areas and a seaplane base, starting fires visible for 40 miles. In the north-western sector Allied medium bombers raided enemy installations in Timor, starting fires. The sole offensive Japanese air activity was a night attack on Darwin by two enemy planes, which dropped bombs near the aerodrome. The damage was negligible. JAPANESE TACTICS “Australia and N.Z. Of Secondary Importance” (Special Australian Correspondent, N.Z.P.A.) (Rec. 10.40 p.m.) SYDNEY, August 26. The war in the Pacific has now entered a crucial period which will determine the success of the United Nations strategy against the shrewdness and military power of Japan. This is the view of Joseph Harsch, The Christian Science Monitor’s war correspondent, who has just returned to America from Australia.

“The task confronting the United Nations is to fight a successful holding war from China, Siberia and Australia until major American forces can be diverted to those places,” he says. “Meanwhile the Japanese conquests will be consolidated intensively if the enemy is left in unharassed possession of the occupied areas. Our supply lines are the longest ever known in warfare and our command is not unified. Shipments of men and material for the Pacific are determined not by needs, but by what can be spared from other fronts. The Japanese tactics have displayed considerable ability. The High Command at no point has been tempted to over-extension by easy victory. It has always kept to its basic aim, namely, to push back the whole periphery.” Mr Harsch believes that Japan is unlikely to embark on any fresh ambitious moves until she has consolidated her present holdings. Therefore, he considers Japan will not' attack Siberia, but will prefer to wait for a cheaper conquest if Russia collapses. “Undoubtedly Japan considers Australia and New Zealand desirable,” said Mr Harsch, “but they are regarded as of secondary importance owing to their relative poverty in raw materials and war resources.”