HONG KONG BLASTED

Wairarapa Times-Age, 27 October 1942, Page 3

HONG KONG BLASTED

SUCCESSFUL AMERICAN ATTACKS POWER STATION PUT OUT OF ACTION DESTRUCTION OF JAPANESE FIGHTERS. ONLY TWO ATTACKING AIRCRAFT LOST. LONDON, October 26. Details of the first Allied air attacks on Hong Kong and on the neighbouring mainland territory of Kowloon, show that they were made by American bombers. Many tons of incendiaries and high explosives were dropped and the damage was considerable. The North Point power station —the only one in Hong Kong—was hit and put out of action. A. .Japanese destroyer was probably sunk, a ferry boat was blown up and Japanese shipping, dock facilities and petrol tanks were set ablaze.

Japanese fighters took a beating in the first raid on Hong Kong. Out of a formation of 18, ten were shot down for certain and five more probably destroyed. A Japanese aerodrome near Canton was also bombed and damaged.From all these operations the Americans lost one bomber and one fighter. Another formation of 20 Japanese fighters was routed yesterday by six American fighters on the Indo-China border. Three were destroyed for certain and four more probably destroyed. All the American fighters came homed The Berlin radio on Sunday quoted a Tokio report that eight large-type Allied planes dropped incendiary bombs on Hong Kong, but that damage was negligible. JAPANESE RAIDS ON INDIAN FRONTIER AERODROMES. AT LEAST FIVE ENEMY PLANES DESTROYED. LONDON, October 26. Japanese planes 1 raided aerodromes on the Assam-Burma frontier yesterday, and this morning attacked the same aerodromes again. The damage done in yesterday’s raid was small, and the casualties extremely light. At least four Japanese planes were destroyed. There are no details of today’s raid, but at least one of the Japanese planes was shot down in flames. NO AMERICAN LOSS IN THE SECOND ATTACK. AT LEAST 18 ENEMY PLANES DESTROYED. (British Official Wireless.) (Received This Day, 11.5 a.m.) RUGBY, October 26. American bombers attacked Hong Kong this morning for the second time, according to a communique from General Stilwell’s headquarters. An airfield near the city was bombed and a power station destroyed. Eighteen Japanese intercepting planes were shot down and five others were probably destroyed. One American pilot was slightly injured and his aircraft made a forced landing in Chinese territory. No American plane was lost.