WEST AUSTRALIA

Wairarapa Times-Age, 4 March 1942, Page 3

WEST AUSTRALIA

FIRST ENEMY AIR ATTACK RAIDS ON WYNDHAM & BROOME. SOME DAMAGE BUT NO CASUALTIES. LONDON, March 3. West Australia had its first Japanese raid today. A communique from Melbourne states that the aerodromes at Broome and Wyndham were attacked almost simultaneously by Japanese aircraft. In the raid at Wyndham a grounded aircraft which was machine-gunned caught fire. There were no casualties, but damage was caused. No bombs were dropped. At Broome bombs were dropped and some damage resulted, but there were no casualties. (The two towns are both on the Timor Sea. Wyndham is 240 miles southwest of Darwin, and Broome is 400 miles farther south-west. The nearest point to Broome that is occupied by the enemy is western Timor, 600 miles distant). The Federal Prime Minister (Mr Curtin) said that Broome and Wyndham were important strategical points for the security of the whole country. “I make no bones about stating,” he added, “that fighting power and working power in this country must be coordinated in the vital interests of defence.” CALL ON AUSTRALIA NEW & SHARP REMINDER. MELBOURNE, March 3. After making the report of the enemy air raids on Wyndham and Broome, the Minister of the Army, Mr Forde, said that for security reasons no further information could be given. He ■ added, “These raids show the growing seriousness of the war as it affects Australia. Three of our towns in the north-west have now been attacked and we must be prepared for further attacks. These attacks should make us all the more determined to put every ounce of energy into the war effort, to which everyone should make his maximum contribution.”