UNDER ATTACK

Wairarapa Times-Age, 15 March 1943, Page 3

UNDER ATTACK

ANOTHER JAPANESE CONVOY HEADED FOR NEW GUINEA LARGE TRANSPORT SET ON FIRE. ANOTHER VESSEL DAMAGED. (Special Australian Correspondent.) SYDNEY, March 14. The Japanese are making further strenuous efforts to strengthen their hold in northern New Guinea. A convoy of three destroyers and five merchantmen, headed for Wewak, is under attack by Allied bombers. A direct hit scored on an 8000-ton transport left the vessel in flames, while another direct hit and a near miss damaged a 4000-ton ship. This latest Japanese convoy to venture into northern New Guinea waters was sighted by an Allied reconnaissance plane shortly after noon on Saturday. Enemy ships had fighter protection. Our first attacks by heavy bombers were made on Saturday evening. No further details of the action are yet available, but today’s communique from General MacArthur’s headquarters says that “the weather and distance hamper oui' attacks which we endeavour to continue.” Wewak is 350 miles north-west of Lae (which was the destination of the ill-fated Bismarck Sea convoy). We•wak is an enemy base assuming increasing importance. During the past two months several attacks have been made on shipping in the harbour there. Our aircraft are frequently encountering strong fighter opposition. A med-ium-sized enemy cargo ship was also attacked in Dutch New Guinea waters with unobserved results. ATTACK ON NAVAL BASE. North of Australia on Friday a formation of Liberators fought their way through a heavy storm to attack the important naval base of Ambon on Amboina Island. A 7000-ton ship tied at the main wharf received a direct hit was a 500-pound bomb. Shore installations were also attacked. The Japanese put up a 'terrific antiaircraft barrage, and then eight Zeros engaged the Liberators in a running fight. Four enemy fighters were shot out of action, two being destroyed for certain. A message from Washington says that President Roosevelt, plans to confer with the Commander-in-Chief of the Allied air forces in the South-West Pacific. Lieutenant General Kenney, during the next few days. The President declared that the planes under Lieutenant-General Kenney's command had done a grand job in the Bismarck Sea action. LOSSES IN SOLOMONS TWO ENEMY BATTLESHIPS SUNK IN NOVEMBER. BALANCE HEAVILY AGAINST JAPANESE. (By Telegraph—Press Association— Copyright) WASHINGTON, March 13. Two Japanese battleships were sunk in the battle off Guadalcanal Island last November, the United States Navy Department announced today. It explained that a study of later intelligence reports has disclosed that one heavy cruiser which was previously claimed as sunk was actually a battleship. Japan has lost 64 ships in the naval engagements in the Solomons area between August 7 and February 7. They included two battleships, 12 cruisers, 26 destroyers, and 24 non-combatant In addition nine warships and one non-combatant vessel were probably sunk, and 81 warships and 27 noncombatant ships were damaged. The American losses in the same period and area totalled 32 ships sunk, including two aircraft-carriers, seven cruisers, 13 destroyers, and 10 miscellaneous ships, and a further two cruisers and three destroyers damaged. AMERICAN ATTACKS ON ENEMY ISLAND BASES. IN NORTH & SOUTH PACIFIC LONDON, March 14. Washington announces that Warhawk fighters bombed and strafed Japanese positions at Kiska. In the Solomons, heavy bombers attacked Japanese positions in the Shortland Island area. Vila and Munda, in the Central Solomons, were also bombed.