NEW GUINEA AREA

Wairarapa Times-Age, 13 February 1942, Page 3

NEW GUINEA AREA

ACTIVITY IN THE AIR AUSTRALIAN AND JAPANESE RAIDS. EVACUEES REACH QUEENSLAND. (By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright) CANBERRA, February 12. Japanese bombers yesterday morning made a second attack on the Australianadministered island of Samarai, which is a few miles 1 from the eastern tip of New Guinea. The Air Minister, Mr Drakeford, said that the results of the attack were unknown. “Enemy aircraft also carried out a daylight reconnaissance on the south coast of Papua.” “R.A.A.F. planes on Monday night raided enemy shipping and a Japanese landing force at Gasmata, on the south coast of New Britain. They dropped several tons of bombs in the target area. Considerable enemy shipping was seen. An enemy landing (previously reported) was made at Gasmata early on Tuesday morning.” Poorly provisioned and taking six days and nights on the voyage, 41 men and women have reached Australia from New Guinea. Two of the men were suffering from shell wounds received when the Japanese raided the goldfields area at Wau. The evacuees reached Australia in a 500-ton copra ship, normally carrying a crew of nine. Their trek across 60 miles of trackless jungle and flooded streams was described as a veritable nightmare.