ENEMY CRUISER

Wairarapa Times-Age, 21 December 1942, Page 3

ENEMY CRUISER

SUNK IN NEW GUINEA WATERS FOUR DIRECT BOMB HITS. JAPANESE CONVOY SIGHTED. (By Telegraph—‘Press Association—Copyright) SYDNEY, December 20. A Japanese light cruiser has been sunk in northern New Guinea waters by Allied heavy bombers, Four direct hits with 500ib. bombs were scored on the warship, exploding a powder magazine. This is reported in today’s communique from General MacArthur’s headquarters ,which states that an enemy naval force has been active north of Vitiaz Strait (separating New Guinea and New Britain). A convoy comprising two large merchantmen and five warships entered the northern New Guinea harbours of Madang and Finschafen during the night departing to the north-east before morning. War. commentators here believe this convoy, which is the largest so far employed by the Japanese in the New Guinea zone, was not directly connected with enemy operations in Papua, but that it carried supplies as well as troops to relieve or rem-

force the garrisons at Madang and Finschafen. Allied reconnaissance aircraft first sighted the ships steaming south from the direction of Admiralty Island. Full details of subsequent air attacks have not yet been released, but two of a flight.of escorting Zeros were shot down. Troops aboard the transports and warships were probably landed at Madang and, Finschafen during darkness. Such landings would indicate the Japanese purpose to strengthen outposts protecting their southward base of Rabaul, thus further delaying the eventual Allied drive against this enemy keypoint. A small Japanese cargo vessel is reported to have been sunk by Allied attack planes off the north-east coast of Timor.