SOME DETAILS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 26 January 1942, Page 3

SOME DETAILS

OF MACASSAR STRAIT ACTION U.S.A. DESTROYERS AT WORK SUCCESSFUL AIR ATTACKS. MADE BY DUTCH ON ENEMY SHIPS. (Bv Telegraph—Press Association— Copyright) LONDON, January 24. A United States Navy Department communique states that in a night attack on a Japanese convoy in the Straits of Macassar American destroyers torpedoed and shelled at close range transports and destroyers. Two large ships were blown up and sunk and a third left with a heavy list. Con- 1 siderable damage was done to other vessels. The United States destroyers were only slightly damaged, and the total casualties were four wounded. Batavia yesterday reported that Netherlands East Indies bombers and fighters launched a determined attack on a concentration of Japanese ships in the middle of the Strains of Macassar, between Celebes and Borneo.

A communique today states: “Details of the attack by our bombers on the Japanese fleet in the Straits of Macassar show that it resulted in four direct hits with four heavy bombs on one cruiser, one heavy cruiser, one large transport, and one warship respectively, while two direct hits each were scored on one transport and two large transports with lighter bombs. “Altogether 12 direct hits were obtained on eight different ships. There were no losses on. our side.” It is authoritatively stated in Batavia that Netherlands bombers attacked Japanese ships off Balik Papan, Borneo, today. One direct hit and several near misses were scored on a large passenger ship, which thereupon listed. Another large transport and a destroyer received direct hits.