SUNK AT LAE

Wairarapa Times-Age, 22 March 1943, Page 3

SUNK AT LAE

JAPANESE FREIGHT SUBMARINE ATTACKS ON SURFACE SHIPS. ESTIMATES OF ENEMY FORCES. (Special Australian Correspondent.) SYDNEY. March 21. A desperate -Japanese effort to supply their forces at Lae by submarine have been frustrated by Allied bombers. Our airmen observed a submarine discharging its cargo on Friday night and destroyed it with four direct bomb hits. The sinking of this submarine is further evidence of the success of the Allied air blockade of the enemy’s bases in northern New Guinea. Supply by underwater craft is a “last resort” tactic, and it indicates that extreme difficulties are being faced by the Japanese troops in the Lae-Sala-maua-Mubo triangle. The repeated attempts to get food, equipment and reinforcements to these garrisons by surface craft have resulted in heavy shipping losses, culminating in the destruction of the 22-ship convoy in the Bismarck Sea. During the last stages of the Papuan campaign there were persistent, though unconfirmed, reports of Japanese attempts to supply their Buma-Gona fortress garrison by submarine. RABAUL & OTHER GARRISONS The following estimated strengths of the enemy forces' in the South-West Pacific are given in the latest issue of the authoritation American imagine “News-Week”:: In New Britain, with the main concentration at Rabaul, 150000; in New Guinea, 30,000 of which 7000 hold Salamaua and Lae, the balance being scattered at Wewak, Madante, Finschhafen, and other smaller bases on the coast; and in Timor’, 12,000 No figures are given of the Japanese strength at the important base of Ambon or the other bases in the Tenimber and Aru Islands. The rising Japanese air strength in the South-west Pacific was again emphasised on Friday by daylight attack by 18 enemy bombers escorted by 32 fighters on Porlock Harbour, 50 miles south-west of Buna. About 70 bombs were dropped on the harbour, and a wharf and launch were damaged, but there were no casualties. This was the fourth heavy air attack by the Japanese in this theatre in 10 days. In that period the enemy also raided Darwin with 49 planes, the Wau aerodrome with 37 planes, and Oro Bay (18 miles south-west of Buna) with 40 planes. Allied aircraft continue the harassing attacks on Japanese bases and shipping from Banda to the Solomons seas. Most of the raids which have been reported in the past 48 hours, when 15 objectives were attacked, were on a light scale. DIRECT HIT ON A BIG VESSEL. Today’s communique states that off Cape Vandenbosch, Dutch New Guinea, a 10,000-ton enemy cargo vessel was bombed and a direct hit and close misses were scored. Bombers from a low altitude attacked an enemy merchant vessel in Kaimana Bay, starting a fire on the deck. On the shore a jetty was set on fire. Heavy bombers raided the town area of Ambon after dusk dropping 5001 b. bombs and incendiaries At Langgoer, on the Kai Islands, medium bombers in two waves attacked the town area. When returning to their base they executed a strafing attack on the enemyoccupied village of Faan, in New Britain. Off the Gazelle Peninsula a medium enemy cargo ship was bombed with un-observed results. A heavy bomber attacked enemy-occupied installations on Beliao Island, near Madahg and others twice bombed the building area at Finschhafen, causing numerous fires. RATHER RESENTED BY MEN WHO MAKE DECISIONS IN. WASHINGTON. “OFT-REPEATED APPEALS FROM DOWN-UNDER/’ NEW YORK, March 21. Joseph Harsch, in the “Christian Science Monitor,” says, “The heat is still on in Washington for more attention to the Pacific, but the men who make decisions are now inclined to the view that the Japanese preparations in the islands to the north of Australia are much more defensive than offensive They may make a few minor concessions, but the betting is heavily on the side that they will not budge seriously from the basic decision to finish off Hitler before really turning on the Japanese. “In fact, there is a disposition to get a little annoyed with the repeated appeals from down under.” / NO HALT IN ALLIED BOMBING ATTACKS. LONDON, March 21. Washington announces more Allied air attacks in the South Pacific. American bombers and fighters raided the Japanese positions at Vila and Munda, in the Solomons and also others in the Shortland Island area.