ANOTHER CONVOY

Wairarapa Times-Age, 26 April 1943, Page 3

ANOTHER CONVOY

SEEN APPARENTLY HEADED FOR WEWAK

EFFECTIVE ALLIED ATTACK IN CELEBES. ON IMPORTANT DISTRIBUTION CENTRE. (Special Australian Correspondent.) ( SYDNEY, April 25. Today’s South-West Pacific headquarters communique reports the presence of a large enemy convoy in the northern waters of the Bismarck Sea. The ; convoy is apparently headed for Wewak, now the main Japanese base on the northern New Guinea coast. Our reconnaissance bomber which sighted* the ships dropped bombs, with unobserved results.

Later, over Wewak harbour, another Allied heavy bomber was intercepted by 12 Zeros. In a running engagement lasting 30 minutes, five Zeros were shot down in flames. Though damaged, the Allied plane returned to its base. An 8000-ton Japanese cargo vessel was left sinking after being attacked by a Liberator bomber 65 miles south of Kavineng, New Ireland, on Friday. The Liberator scored a direct hit amidships as well as a near-miss with 5001 b. bombs. The vessel immediately burst into flames, with smoke rising 3000 feet. Three destroyers were escorting the ship when she was attacked.

North of Australia, small enemy cargo vessels were attacked at Kei and Sermata Islands. Two were sunk and two others damaged. In spite of Allied reconnaissance re-

ports of increasing Japanese air strength and of the introduction of new enemy fighter types in northern areas, the Japanese air force still refrain from offensive activity. After more than a week of routine offensive reconnaissance flights, the Allied air forces have resumed heavier operations against Japanese targets north of Australia. The latest communique from General MacArthur’s headquarters reports that a strong formation of our heavy bombers made a round flight of 1500 miles to make a dusk attack on Kendari, in the Celebes. Kendari is one of the centres of distribution for Japanese aircraft operating in the South-West Pacific theatre. Detailing the results of the attack, the communique says:-“More than 25 tons of explosives and incendiaries were dropped on the aerodrome and workshop areas and among grounded aircraft, destroying at least five twinengined planes parked on the runway and practically wiping out the workshop and repair hangars. Innumerable small fires were started round the aerodrome and the glow of great fires and explosions in the maintenance buildings was visible for 75 miles. ■ twenty enemy fighters were intercepted > over the target, five being shot down # and another probably destroyed. All cur planes returned.” American aircraft in the Georgia area yesterday made another raid on the Japanese base at Munda.