GONE INTO HIDING?

Wairarapa Times-Age, 18 March 1943, Page 3

GONE INTO HIDING?

ENEMY CONVOY BOUND FOR DOBO NO TRACE OF IT FOUND. IN EXTENDED AIR SEARCH. (Special Australian Correspondent.) SYDNEY, March 17. The Japanese convoy headed for Bobo, north of Darwin, on Monday afternoon is believed to have been driven off by the sustained attacks of Allied bombers. Hudsons and Beaufighters went out again yesterday to continue the attacks on the three troop-laden ships, but could find no trace of them. Their search extended through the entire Aru islands coastline, the Banda Sea area and along southern New Guinea. As hits were claimed on two ships and near-hits on the third, it is possible that they later sank, but this is not officially claimed. No debris was seen. Yesterday’s Allied air attacks on oil storage tanks at Salamaua, in northeast New Guinea, caused the greatest conflagration ever seen in the SouthWest Pacific war zone. Gigantic flames shot hundreds of feet into the air when hits were scored on storage depots formerly controlled by the Vacuum and Shell companies. BATTLE OVER DARWIN. Further details have now been revealed of Monday’s unsuccessful largescale enemy air raid on Darwin, when Spitfires went into action for the fourth time since the announcement of their presence in the area. Twenty-five enemy bombers, with their escort of 24 Zeros, came in from the sea at 22,000 feet in three perfect V formations. They employed the pattern bombing system. As they approached the town, each V spread out into a straight line, the bomb doors opened and 50 or 60 bombs came screaming down together. While the alert was being sounded, R.A.F. and R.A.A.F. Spitfires were already in the air. They engaged the Zero escort high above the bombers and quickly had the best of the enemy in thrilling dogfights ranging over 20 square miles. When a Japanese bomber was shot down its companion planes in the formation closed in, but never wavered. The whole raid was over in 15 minutes, and an inspection later showed that damage and casualties were light. KISKA POUNDED SIX AMERICAN RAIDS IN ONE DAY. FULL ACTIVITY ALSO IN SOUTH PACIFIC. LONDON, March 17. American heavy and medium bombers today gave the Japanese positions at Kiska in the Aleutians, the heaviest pounding so far, with six raids in one day. ’ In the Solomons Vila was attacked twice yesterday, once by American naval units and later by dive-bombers.

Flying Fortresses attacked places in Bougainville and also Munda, in New Georgia Island.