Evening star., 1942-03-11
R. A. A. F. Beutinq
Violently at Foes
Invasion Armudu
5y the Associated Press.

~ IRE ASSOCIATED PreSs.
CANBERRA, Australia, March
II. Beating violently at Japa-
neSe invasion flotillaS which nev-
ertheleSs apparently still were
being marShaled above the main
land, the Royal Australian Air
Force reported tonight that seven
enemy ships were known to have
been sunk or damaged and two
others probably damaged in the
waters of New Guinea.
Of this number. two ships definite
ly were sunk. four were set aflame
and one was beached, said an Off
cial announcement listing results
of a series of smashing assaults
yesterday on japanese ship concen-
trations in the harbor of Salamaua.
on New Guinea's east coast.
But even as the air arm contin-
ued its running counteroffensive
action. large new Japanese convoy
was reported heading for Port
\ >Moresby on the Southern New
Guinea coast. in an area only 800
miles from Cape York on the main
land.
The Australian Associated Press
observed that the Government had
no denial to offer of these reports.
PoT5 Moresby likewise was under
new enemy aerial assault. II bomb
ers participating in this thrust, al
though there was no immediate an
nouncement of damage there.
One of Heaviest Air Attacks.
The r. A. A. F.s action was de-
scribed in its communioue as ''one
of the heaviest aerial attacks so far
launched in the New Guinea area"
1t said direct hits were scored
upon a warship which was either
cruiser or a large destroyer" and
added:
When the aircraft left the target
area one ship was burned out and
three others were on fire. Two of
them were sinking and one was
being beached"
The Sydney Sun reported that
at least one of the ships-an 5000
ton transport-was sunk Other re-
ports said six direct hits with heavy
bombs were scored on another of
the vessels.
The Sun reported that r. A. A. F.
pilots dived to 400 feet for the
machine cunning. bombing on
Slaught from which all planes were
said to have returned safely.
Attacks by Waves of Planes.
Waves of R. A. A. F. planes made
the attacks, principally at Sala-
maua. which appears to have become
a main assembly point for the forces
which Australia expects the Japa-
nese to throw at her with the least
possible delay.
The Commemorative leaders are
convinced that Australia has been
marked next on Japan'S timetable
of aggression and that the enemy
will rush the onslaught in order to
strike before this island continent
defenSeS can be further built up and
reinforced from abroad.
Offensive fighting, therefore, has
become the watchword not only of
Australia's air forces, but of her
land forces also, in order to smash
the enemy's accumulating strength
on the stepping stone islands of the
continental mainland and delay the
invasion thrust.
Reconnaissance has shown the
japanese to be working swiftly to
transform Salamaua and the other
occupied New Guinea harbors, Lac
and Finschhafen. into supply depots
behind what some Australians pre-
dict will be a scatter-blow invasion
strategy-an ATTEMPT to open up
many fronts in undeveloped, thinly
populated Northern Australia by
sending in large forces at several
widely separated points.
First Attack Before Noon.
The first r. A. A. F. wave struck at
Salamaua yesterday just before
noon, the Air Ministry said, and
attacked a japanese cruiser despite
a thick wall of anti-aircraft fire.
The effect of that attack has not yet
been determined.
A few minutes later, the COM
munique added. another R. A. A. F.
wave went over, setting two ships
afire. leaving another large ship
burning and scoring several direct
hits on a warship. believed to be
either a cruiser or a large destroyer.
See AUSTRALIA, Page A-4D