ENEMYS LOSSES'

Auckland Star, Volume LXXV, Issue 58, 9 March 1944, Page 2

ENEMYS LOSSES'

JAPS. FACE DISASTER

PROGRESS OF PACIFIC WAR

(P.A.) WELLINGTON, this day. The provision of new fighter aircraft for some of the Royal New Zealand Air Force squadrons in the Pacific was indicated to-day by Air Vice-Marshal L. M. Isitt, Chief of the Air Staff, in an interview following his recent tour of forward Pacific areas. He paid a tribute to the work of Admiral W. F. Halsey, Allied commander in the South Pacific, and his staff, describing the command, including units of the United States Army, Navy and Marines, the New Zealand Division and the R.N.Z.A.F. and other Allied units, as one of the most compact and hard-hitting on the war front. "Wherever I went I was greatly impressed by the magnificent fighting spirit of all units of the Allied fighting forces," said Air Vice-Mar-shal Isitt. "This is largely due to the driving power and inspiration of the Allied leaders, Admirals Halsey, Fitch and other members of the South Pacific staff, together with the commanding officers of the various units engaged. "The Japanese have suffered tremendous losses, not only in men and equipment, but in the weakening of their strategic position in the Central, South and South-west Pacific. Without being unduly optimistic, _ I believe they are facing a major disaster along vital sectors of their outer zones of defence, which have been substantially pierced and weakened, and it may not be long before these defeats will bring even more serious consequences to the Japanese. We are not, however, suffering any delusions concerning the task which lies ahead. "Both Germany and Japan, I feel sure, are hoping they can sicken us of war before we approach their borders. We can expect them to be grimly tenacious. We must resolve not only that they shall not wear us down, but that we shall wreck their time-table, frustrate their delaying tactics, and employ every resource and every ounce of force to. defeat them before they can make us pay too great a toll. Corsairs For Fighter Squadrons "This determination is clearly marked among our forces in the Pacific. I found all units of the R.N.ZA.F. in good spirits. On several occasions American officers of high rank expressed to me their appreciation of our efforts and their warm praise of the skill and ability of our New Zealand personnel. "R.N.Z.A.F. fighter pilots have been well to the fore. In recent operations in the Northern Solomons and Rabaul areas. They have been engaged chiefly in close escort of American bombers. In the near future we shall be re-equipping our fighter squadrons with Corsair .aircraft, and with these it is likely our fighters will be able to undertake a wider variety of duties. "New Zealand Warhawks to date have destroyed or probably destroyed approximately 130 Japanese aircraft, with many others damaged, for the loss in air combat of 15 of our pilots, including those missing. It is a good record. Work Of Ground Staffs "The R.N.Z.A.F, Ventura squadrons are settling down well to the many tasks they have to do, and our Hudson bomber reconnaissance I squadrons are performing useful work. Our Catalina flying-boat squadrons have not long been established in the forward area, but already, among other achievements, they have several notable air-sea rescues to their credit." The high efficiency of the aircraft was a tribute to the efforts of the ground staffs, said Vice-Marshal Isitt, and it should be understood that our squadrons fought as co-ordinated units from the ground up. ■ The health of the New Zealand personnel was good, due to the efficiency of the medical services, including anti-malarial control measures, regulation of diet and reasonably good living conditions.