MORE JAPANESE AIR ACTIVITY

Southland Times, Issue 24886, 28 October 1942, Page 5

MORE JAPANESE AIR ACTIVITY

Ineffective Raids

(Special Australian Correspondent, N.Z.P.A.)

(Rec. 9.10 p.m.) SYDNEY, October 27. More extensive, though ineffective, Japanese ah' activity in the South-west Pacific area than for several weeks is reported in the latest communique from General Douglas MacArthur’s headquarters. Enemy aircraft were over Darwin, Port Moresby and Milne Bay on Sunday night, but only minor damage was done. Little significance is attached to this increased air activity. It is probable that the Japanese have merely taken advantage of a “raiders’ moon” to maintain face while the crucial struggle is developing in the Solomons.. Allied planes made four raids against the enemy’s three. Targets at Koepang, Lae, Salamaua and Kokoda were attacked. The same formation of North American B 25’s bombed Lae and Salamaua. Heavy anti-aircraft fire was encountered at both places, but there was no interception. Havocs and Kittyhawks strafed the trail from Kokoda up the Owen Stanley Range. DESULTORY FIGHTING No change has occurred in the ground situation. The fighting has been described as desultory. The Japanese are still clinging tenaciously to their prepared positions near Alola village, only one and a-half air miles from Kokoda. They are fending the Allied thrusts with artillery and mortar fire. Our advancing troops in the Owen Stanleys have found bulletriddled and burned-out huts in every village previously occupied by the Japanese. The discovery of dead enemy soldiers in the jungle is evidence of the effectiveness of the Allied air attacks. A Japanese soldier gave himself up to a native woman and a 10 year old boy at Milne Bay on Friday. He was one of a party of 20 which escaped to the bush last month. BOMBING IN ASSAM Small Damage To Airports (8.0.W.) RUGBY, October 26. The bombing of aerodromes in NorthWest Assam is described by general headquarters in India. “Yesterday enemy aircraft attacked an aerodrome at Chittagong and some aerodromes in North-East Assam, states a communique. “Reports so far indicate that civilian and military casualties are extremely light and the damages small. Civilian labour employed | in the areas attacked displayed extremely high morale and their devotion to routine duties was most marked. There was a further raid on an aerodrome in north-east Assam today. No details are yet available, but later one enemy aircraft was shot down in flames, two members of the crew baling out by parachute.”

CHINESE SUCCESS

Capture Of District

(Rec. 8.20 p.m.) CHUNGKING, Oct. 26. The Chinese attacked and captured a district south-east of Saratsi, near the terminus of the Suivuan railway, and inflicted heavy losses on the Japanese, repelling two counter-attacks. In an all-night battle near Swatow many Japanese were killed and wounded.