SOLOMONS AREA

Press, Volume LXXVIII, Issue 23751, 24 September 1942, Page 5

SOLOMONS AREA

Buka And Rabaul Bombed ENEMY VESSEL HIT (N.Z. Press Association—Copyright.) (Rec. 11 p.m.) LONDON. Sept. 23. Heavy explosions and fires were caused on the aerodrome at the Japanese base of Buka, in the Solomons, by Allied bombers, which flew 1400 miles to make the attack. . At Rabaul, in New Britain, two hits were scored on a large vessel when 17 American bombers made a night attack on shipping, the aerodrome, and dispersal areas. The United States Navy has announced that dive-bombers damaged a Japanese cruiser north-west of Guadalcanar on Sunday. . . „ . , The Japanese fleet which is reported to be moving south towards the Solomons is believed to be the same fleet as that driven back north of Tulagi by Flying Fortresses on September 14, says the special Australian correspondent of the New Zealand Press Association. It is generally believed that Japan will soon launch her heaviest efforts to retake the Solomons. Washington opinion is that this Japanese force may be joined by a second force for new attacks, “It is a safe and sound assumption that the Japanese will make major new attempts to reconquer the Solomons, said the United States Secretary of the Navy (Colonel Frank Knox) at a press conference, when questioned on reports of Japanese fleet movements. He added that United States forces were operating on that basis. To do otherwise would be foolish. The Washington correspondent of the “New York Times" says that the withdrawal of the Japanese fleet beyond normal patrol range of American aircraft has aroused speculation about whether American air power in the Solomons has forced the enemy to temper his bold strokes. One writer

says that ‘'the strong Japanese naval forces have not followed up the advantage won by ‘the Japanese ground forces in New Guinea. For the first time in their campaigns the Japanese have not delivered the strokes necessary to win New Guinea or recapture the Solomons before their chances are irretrievably lost.” The London “Evening Standard says that the naval hide-and-seek in the Pacific is reaching a climax. The ‘‘Evening Standard” emphasises the importance of Rabaul, from which base the main enemy fleet in the Solomons is believed to have operated. “The naval reoccupation of Rabaul must remain the major objective of the Anzac Command,” says the “Evening Standard."

AUSTRALIAN FORCES ON TIMOR GUERRILLA ACTIVITY FROM MOUNTAINS (Special Australian Corresp., N.Z.P.A.) SYDNEY, Sept. 23, In the first three months the Australian guerrilla forces on Timor killed 250 Japanese. Australian casualties have been light. Twice the enemy has attempted to induce the Australians to surrender and has received scornful replies. The health of the troops, according to men who recently escaped from the island, is excellent. For food they have deer, pigs, buffaloes, goats, maize, oranges, rice, and tropical fruits. _ The Australians hold strong posts in the heavy jungle country high in the mountains, and they make frequent guerrilla sorties. On one occasion a party of six Australians entered Dun itself and “souvenired” a number of Japanese. INDONESIAN SOLDIER HONOURED

(8.0. W.) RUGBY, Sept. 22. For the defence of Staumlaki, ih Tenimber Island, against the Japanese two months ago, an Indonesian sergeant has received a Netherlands honour. With his 13 men the sergeant rehearsed his defence plans, and when the Japanese came he was able to inflict more than 200' casualties on the preliminary landing party which, believing that the village was unaware of their arrival, lined up, and marched into the garrison’s trap. The sergeant regrouped his men and was able to inflict further casualties before he was forced to order a withdrawal. His garrison was twice subjected to a naval bombardment, once at night and again in the morning, when the Japanese succeeded in landing.

PROFITEERS IN AUSTRALIA

OFFENDERS TO BE PLACARDED

(Rec, 1 a.m.) CANBERRA, Sept. 23. Striking provisions to brand publicly all profiteers are contained in a new bill to strengthen price control and smash black marketing in Australia. A central feature of the bill provides for the placarding of every convicted profiteer.' * As soon as a trader has been convicted of a price breach he must himself advertise his offence, and continue to do so for a period of some months. The form of advertising is stipulated, including the printing of special notice on invoices and dockets, and the display of large notices throughout premises. “This firm is a convicted profiteer” will be the substance of the placards. N.Z. AIRMAN INTERNED IN EIRE ATTEMPTS TO ESCAPE (Special Correspondent N.Z.P.A.) (Rec. 7 p.m.) LONDON, Sept. 22, A New Zealander in the Fleet Air Arm, Sub-Lieutenant Bruce Girdlestone, of Wellington, who was interned in Eire recently, has made his second attempt to escape. He was one among 20 in the attempt, and he helped to lift off the main gates at the second barrier. Ten men got away but all were finally rounded up. Sub-Lieutenant Girdlestone was discovered last. He spent five days in Dublin before he was retaken. Sub-Lieutenant Girdlestone was interned after being forced down in Eire during an aircraft-carrier’s training operations.

Germans Executed.—The Moscow radio says 31 Germans were executed in Germany on September 21 on charges of high treason, 10 of them for spreading information received from foreign broadcasts.—London, Sept. 22. Group Captain Kelletf Missing.— Group Captain Richard Kellett, who led the record Royal Air Force longdistance flight from Ismailia to Darwin in 1938, is reported missing on operations in the Middle East—London, September 22.