07 Apr 1942
Page 1
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This newspaper page contains 21 articles. Subscribers can read the full text of each article.
Newspaper
Canberra Times
Location
Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia
Date
Apr 07, 1942
Page
1
Melbourne reports detail brutal Japanese treatment of Australian prisoners near Rabaul. Accounts describe bayoneting and forcing captives to flee into bush, with prisoners separated, tortured, and executed under search by Japanese officers. A second dispatch covers the Rabaul battle, noting heavy Allied casualties, malaria, and survival by relying on native helpers and dwindling food.
The obituary notes the passing of newspaper director Muttourne Grummat after a long illness. He pursued journalism at Malboures University and held leadership roles in several press organizations. A private family service is planned.
The report states Japanese forces attempted to land on Bataan's eastern shores but were met by American artillery and fire, suffering heavy losses and failing to establish a landing. The attack occurred Friday on the Sateen Peninsula with infantry and barges involved.
Allied forces repelled Japanese bombing raids on Port Moresby with heavy air combat leaving significant enemy losses. The air battle featured around 18 Japanese aircraft shot down or damaged as the Allies sustained defensive operations to protect strategic territory in the region.
Fragmentary report notes a raid on Sport Moresby with a fire outbreak. It is unclear how many participants contributed to the blaze and whether the afternoon’s events proceeded. Authorities awaited further details to confirm numbers and actions.
Australia declares Thursday Talend and all Torres Strait islands except Papua under military control due to Japanese threat. Authorities gain full civil and military powers to defend these territories, with measures to be taken for security.
The Ministry of Information states several Norwegian ships under charter to Britain sailed from Gothenburg to the United Kingdom. Ten ships reportedly broke out, three were torpedoed by Germany, and the fates of the remaining seven are unknown.
Unfavourable weather dominated Coastal Air Force operations in March. For 11 nights no offensive sorties were flown, while attacks on English towns were light. Bombing focused on German and occupied targets, with Ruhr raids and efforts toward military and industrial centers in March.
Melbourne dispatch outlines Australia and Burma defenses with intensified air and naval activity. It notes ships damaged off Crete and in the Mediterranean, 60 to 90 Allied aircraft deployed in March, and reports on British task force losses and Allied air strikes amid the broader war.
Melbourne reports a Japanese air raid at Koepang with nine ships damaged and several aircraft shot down. Five bombers and two fighters were downed, three bases attacked, and one pilot killed. The senior officer with the garrison is en route to Melbourne to file a full report to Army Headquarters.
The report notes Britain and Italy working on prisoner exchanges under wartime conventions with Australia as a signatory. Details are unclear due to garbled text but reference to ongoing talks and formal agreements is present.
The report notes Axis losses of 200 planes weekly with limited details about a 100th raid and German actions near Cologne and along the east coast, mentioning Le Havre docks and Raglan as part of the sequence of wartime events.
Reported Allied air and sea assault on Rabaul harbor and its aerodrome near New Guinea. Numerous Japanese ships were damaged or sunk and ground facilities attacked. One American pilot bailed out and survived, rescued by native canoes, as crews fought off bombers over Port Moresby.
Fragmentary diary note about Malaya attributed to Gen Bennett, indicating a claim that the diary was not lost as first thought. Text appears scrambled, with partial words suggesting Cap Petey and Australian forces involvement, but specifics remain unclear.
An authoritative report states 1200 enemy bombers attacked last night. A major strike aimed at docks and factories was repelled, with defenses intercepting the assault while some targets suffered damage.
Fragmented war bulletin reports German forces retreating on the central front as Soviet troops reportedly cross a river. Berlin claims increased activity and air raids on Leningrad Kronstadt area while public estimates note massive casualties and prisoners since the war began.
Dispatch from Istanbul notes Axis concentrations in the Lower Kans and Aegean Archipelago have not reached invasion strength. Bulgaria, with about 34 army units, concentrates troops as Bulgaria’s army, partly equipped by Germany, remains a largely artillery force. German units move to Crete and Africa, with an estimated 410,000 German personnel in the Aegean region and 90,000 in the Dedeenes area centered on Rhodes and Leros.
London reports a British commando raid near Narvik with claims of heavy German losses and Norwegian targets. Sources conflict on timing and scale, with references to Soviet air support and Swedish frontier air activity. Explosions and German counteractions were noted north and south of Narvik as preparations reportedly intensify in northern Russia.
By early this year Axis air losses are described as enormous as Allied air forces push forward. The dispatch notes damaged planes, crashes, and supply issues while citing Japanese air successes. The article emphasizes that German Luftwaffe remains the primary threat despite Allied gains.
Reported wartime dispatch notes Britain is braced for a second front with limited tank readiness and growing public curiosity. Officials emphasize cautious planning, while MacArthur's forces push toward victory with American and Allied cooperation. The article highlights equipment shortages and funding efforts in Schenectady and broader U S support.
Malta withstood three months of near daily air raids as Allied broadcasts described a stubborn defense. Reports credit naval and civilian efforts, including warnings and precautions, while noting nearly 700 air raids and the island’s resilient garrison under Sir William Lovie.
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