HEAVY RAIDS BY ALLIES

Southland Times, Issue 24891, 3 November 1942, Page 5

HEAVY RAIDS BY ALLIES

SOLOMONS AREA (Special Australian Correspondent, N.Z.P.A.) (Rec. 10 p.m.) SYDNEY, Nov. 2. Australia-based planes are believed to have sunk or seriously damaged seven more Japanese ships in their third successive night raid on the BuinFaisi area of the Northern Solomons. Two waves of heavy and medium bombers dropped 33 tons of bombs, the heaviest announced load since the beginning of these intensive Solomons attacks by aircraft of General Douglas MacArthur’s command. The attacks were pressed home from a low altitude through a formidable curtain of anti-aircraft fire. In three nights our bombers have thus sunk or damaged 17 enemy 1 vessels in this area. Since the beI ginning of October South-west i Pacific Command bombers have sunk or damaged 55 Japanese ships estimated to aggregate more than 150,000 tons.

Accurate observation of the results of the latest attack was not possible, but the headquarters spokesman said today that the vessels bombed included war-

ships and merchantmen. One plane failed to return from the operation. This is the sole Allied loss in three nights of sustained attacks. The Allied ground forces are now only six miles map distance from Kokoda and are still driving on. No serious fighting has been reported in the past few days. The latest communique from General MacArthur’s headquarters reports that our troops are “well beyond” Isurava and Aburai. JAPANESE AIR ACTIVITY The Japanese have at last resumed fairly extensive air activity in the New Guinea thetare. They have re-estab-lished considerable fighter strength in the area, presumably to protect their North Papua bases and the Owen Stanley supply line from relentless Allied bombing. One force of 20 Zeros on Sunday clashed with a strong formation of Allied attack units and fighters. Three Zeros were shot down and one of our fighters is missing. Our medium bombers raided Lae before dawn on Sunday, dropping 10 tons of bombs on runways, supply dumps and dispersal areas. Large fires were started. Over Buna an Allied medium reconnaissance unit was intercepted by seven Zeros, but successfully fought off the enemy fighters. Three Japanese planes made a night raid on Port Moresby, but caused no damage. AIR RAIDS ON JAPANESE DAMAGE TO WARSHIPS (Special Australian Correspondent, N.Z.P.A.) (Rec. 7 p.m.) SYDNEY, November 2. The outstanding success of Australiabased Flying Fortresses in raids against Japanese bases and warships in the South-west Pacific has impressed observers that a “larger body of Flying Fortresses, if given to General MacArtuh’s command, could be an even more vital factor in deciding the outcome of the general Solomons campaign.” The Sydney Morning Herald war correspondent says this today. It is now revealed that two Japanese battleships or heavy cruisers received direct hits with 5001 b bombs in Friday’s raids on enemy shipping in the Buin-Faisi area. Earlier reports suggested that the same ship might have been hit on both occasions. A bomb is believed to have penetrated the magazine of an enemy heavy cruiser which blew up after receiving a direct hit in Saturday’s Buin-Faisi raid. Air reconnaissance over Rabaul on Saturday afternoon revealed that ' a warship had been damaged and a 5000ton cargo vessel sunk by the Flying Fortress raid earlier in the day. The warship was listing badly and the water around it was covered with oil.

October was a black month for Japanese bases within range of General MacArthur’s heavy bombers. Losses inflicted'on the enemy by aircraft of the South-west Pacific command included:—

Sunk or destroyed.—A heavy cruiser, medium-sized merchantman, gun-boat, 10 Zero fighters and four bombers. Believed destroyed.—A 17,000 ton seaplane tender, three medium-sized merchantmen.

Sunk or badly damaged.—Two cruisers, a destroyer, eight merchantmen, seven flying-boats. Severely damaged.—A 10,000 ton seaplane tender, a light cruiser. Directly hit.—Two heavy cruisers or battleships, two large merchantmen (one of 15,000 tons), nine other ships. In addition 13 other ships, ranging from an aircraft-carrier to a small cargo vessel, are claimed as probably damaged.