FIGHTING LEAD

Auckland Star, Volume LXXIII, Issue 63, 16 March 1942, Page 4

FIGHTING LEAD

AUSTRALIA STIRRED

NATION'S HOUR OF DESTINY

(0.C.) SYDNEY, March 11. How mucli air support from the United States, and possibly from Britain, has reached Australia and how much more is actually on the way? This is the question in the minds of all Australians now that the incredible has happened, and, having already been bombed three times (Darwin, Wyndham, Broome), they find themselves almost certainly next in line for an invasion attempt by Japan. Everyone has had It Durned into them during the last two and a half years that without a certain minimum air force the most valiant resistance is of no avail in modern war. Even Australia's tough A.I.F. Commander in Malaya. Major-General Gordon Bennett in a cheer-up broadcast tln.s week, emphasised that sufficient air strength was essential to successful defence. The question with which this article began cannot be answered, of course, for obvious security reasons, but there can be no doubt that whatever comes, Australians will fight like devils if necessary in defence of their own country. Lagging as usual behind public opinion, political and military leaders have now given up all depressing talk of evacuations and such like and have concentrated on the word "offensive." Now they are telling Australians that to them has fallen the job of ending the long history in this war of British withdrawals, retreats and surrenders; that if the Japanese attempt to land in Australia, we must immediately attack and keep on attacking wherever they may try to effect a landing. This is the kind of fighting lead to which Australians naturally respond. Fifteen Fighting Generals The Sydney Morning Herald's defence correspondent points out that of the 15 generals who will direct any campaign in Australia, nine have been recalled here because of distinguished service abroad with the A.I.F. Examples in this war are the capture of Bardia. planned by General Sir Iven Macka.v, and carried out with few casualties by an Australian force who were outnumbered by three to one; the defence of Tobruk and the successful campaign in Syria under Sir John Laverack, again against a superior enemy. In Malaya the Australians were the only Empire troops who attacked ana they were unable to hold their line only because they had to retire to go to the rescue of the Indians. Meantime, as Australia gears itself for the supreme test, new emergency regulations are almost daily brought into operation. This week the last two military classes, up to the age of 60, are enrolling, but it is not likely that they will be called up in any number unless for the Army Labour Corps, which is to carry out strategic defence works at trade union rates of pay and condition.?, but will be more or less under military discipline. And every person in Australia from 18 to 60 is also registering for national manpower purposes and also to be issued with identification cards.

Sub-Lieutenant Mervyn Dudley Ward, aged 23, eldest son of Mr. and Mrs. Alfred Ward, Manulcau Road, Epsom, who died suddenly on board a British merchant cruiser in New York Harbour. Educaed at Waimataitai School and Timaru Boys' High School, he left the railway workshops at Otahuhu three years ago to join the Blue Star Shipping Company, later enlisting in the R.N.V.R. Sub-Lieutenant Ward was accorded full naval honours at his burial in Long Island National Cemetery, New York.

Steps are being taken to ensure that the great fleet of small pleasure craft on the eastern coast cannot be used by the Japanese, if they come here, to infiltrate defence lines from the coast as they did in Malaya. Belated regulations have been issued compelling private residents and business premises of all kinds whose windows are wihin 9ft of the road, to take specified precautions against splintering in the event of air raids. Should Sydney be raided before then, there will be a bitter outcry against the State Government for not having attended to this most essential precaution long ago. Italians in Queensland In Queensland there was considerable anxiety because of the number of Italians there. It is said that while the poor anti-Fascist Italians have been interned the wealthy Fascist supporters are at liberty. One Queenslander from near Cairns said: "I have lived in my district for eight years and I know that the reason why a fifth column does exist in Northern Queensland is that certain Australians, Fascist in temperament and outlook, are aiding anti-British foreigners who should be behind barbed wire." The deputy-Mayor of Townsville, Alderman T. Aitken. passing through Sydney, said: "We know thai cnomv aliens in the north are backed by powerful interests who have strong financial reasons for keeping them out of internment." The statement was made at a meeting of the Townsville City Council by Alderman F. Paterson. a barrister," that if a public inquiry were held into the administration of the alien internment regulations in Northern Queensland, more than one Queensland police officer would find himself in gaol."