DAMAGING ATTACKS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 15 April 1943, Page 3

DAMAGING ATTACKS

ON ENEMY SHIPS IN NORTH NEW GUINEA. TWO LARGE VESSELS DIRECTLY HIT. (Special Australian Correspondent.) SYDNEY, April 14. The continued efficacy of our bomber attacks against Japanese shipping is again revealed in General MacArthur’s latest communique, which reports the sinking of or severe damage to vessels aggregating more than 20,000 tons in Hansa Bay, northern New Guinea, on Monday. Hansa Bay is 30 miles east of Wewak, now the Japanese main New Guinea base. Wewak has no port, cargoes landed there being lightered ashore on barges. The vessels attacked at Hansa Bay were presumably halted en route to Wewak. The attacks were made by Liberators and Flying Fortresses, one of which shot down siz Zeros in a running fight and probably destroyed seven. General MacArthur’s communique states: “North-western sector, Kai Islands (Langgoer): One of our medium units bombed the nearby village of Koiseer, causing numerous large explosions. Two coastal vessels were also strafed. “North-eastern sector, New Guinea (Wide Bay): One of our heavy units bombed an enemy coastal vessel. New Guinea (Mubo): Our attack planes bombed and strafed the Bitoi River — Buigap Creek area, executing 11 lowlevel runs over enemy, positions. Lae: Our heavy units bombe'd the aerodrome dispersal areas at dusk. Finschhafen: One of our heavy units bombed the runway. “Hansa Bay: As briefly referred to yesterday, our heavy units at dusk executed a series of low-level and medium altitude attacks on vessels in the harbour. A 10,000-ton cargo ship was hit three times by heavy bombs, was left 'burning from stem to stern, and it i probably sank. An 8000-ton merchant ship was smoking heavily following direct hits with 5001 b. bombs, and its condition was precarious. After dusk, a possible hit or close miss was registered in a low-level skip bombing attack on a 3000-ton cargo vessel. The air combat accompanying this attack was fully reported yesterday.” RAID ON MILNE BAY MADE BY STRONG JAPANESE FORCE. SERIES OF ALLIED ATTACKS. LONDON, April 14. General MacArthur states that a strong force of Japanese aircraft today raided Milne Bay, at the eastern tip of New Guinea. No details have been received of the result of the raid. Yesterday Allied aircraft attacked Japanese positions at Mubo and the airfields at Lae and Finschhaven.