GIVEN TO JAPANESE AIRCRAFT AT COLOMBO

Wairarapa Times-Age, 6 April 1942, Page 3

GIVEN TO JAPANESE AIRCRAFT AT COLOMBO

Fifty-Seven Destroyed or Damaged OUT OF FORCE OF SEVENTY-FIVE MACHINES EVENTS IN THE PACIFIC THEATRES LONDON, April 5. HEAVY LOSSES WERE INFLICTED ON THE JAPANESE AIR FORCE WHEN IT ATTACKED CEYLON. A COMMUNIQUE STATES THAT COLOMBO WAS HEAVILY RAIDED THIS MORNING FOR THE FIRST TIME. THE DEFENCES DESTROYED OR DAMAGED 57 ENEMY PLANES. The raid began at 8 o’clock. A large force of Japanese aircraft dive-,bombed and made low-flying machine-gun attacks on the harbour and on an area in the southern suburbs. The damage done was comparatively slight. A small number of civilians were killed and wounded. ■ The enemy planes were successfully intercepted by our fightys, and heavy losses were inflicted. Twenty-five planes were shot down for certain by our fighters and five more were probably shot down. Twenty-five more were damaged. Antiaircraft guns shot down two more making a low-flying attack. Our losses were slight. Some of the Japanese crews baled out and may have landed on the island. , A reward is being offered for their capture as the information that may be obtained from them may be of vital importance to the defence of Ceylon. It is stated that 75 Japanese planes took part in the raid and that they came from an aircraft carrier.

FURIOUS ONSLAUGHT

On American Lines on Batan JAPANESE LOSSES PARTICULARLY HEAVY • no Substantial change in burma LONDON, April 5, A furious attack was made by the Japanese on the American lines on the Batan Peninsula yesterday. The enemy infantry assault was supported by intense artillery and mortar fire. A large number of storm i troops were massed against the American positions and the (small gains which they made were at the cost of heavy casualties. Last night a hostile landing was attempted on the east shore of the peninsula, when barges mounting 75 millimetre guns were used. The American gunfire was such that no landings were made. Several of the barges were sunk and others were driven back. The Japanese losses were particularly heavy. A Burma communique reports no substantial change in the Irrawaddy front since yesterday. AUSTRALIAN AIR VICTORIES Darwin had its 13th raid and Port Moresby its 22nd raid yesterday. At Port Moresby one Japanese fighter was shot down. It is now known that in yesterday’s operations the Royal Australian Air Force destroyed 17 Japanese planes and damaged 10 others at a cost to itself of only two planes lost and one damaged.