CONVOY SURVIVORS

Greymouth Evening Star, 8 March 1943, Page 6

CONVOY SURVIVORS

‘SYSTEMATICALLY WIPED OUT’ DETAILS OF BATTLE (N.Z.P.A. Special Australian Correspnti-lent). SYDNEY, March 7. The last Japanese from the annihilated Bismarck Sea convoy have been systematically wiped out. Fifty barges, lifeboats, and rafts, believed to be all that remained afloat from the convoy, were raked by Allied aeroplanes on Friday. General MacArthur’s headquarters announces that mopping up lias been completed and so far as is known there is scarcely a survivor.

Giving details of the battle, today’s communique says 136 Allied aircraft (bombers, attack bombers, and fighters) cook part in attacks against 22 enemy ships, which had an air cover of about 150 aeroplanes. Of these no fewer than 102 were shot out of action. Allied losses for the whole action were one heavy bomber and three fighters lost, with other aircraft damaged but able to return to their bases. Allied aeroplanes dropped 226 tons of bombs on the convoy, scoring 86 certain direct hits and 63 near misses or hits. All 12 transports with their warship escort of three light cruisers and seven destroyers were sunk. It is estimated that 15,000 enemy troops were killed. They came from the 20th and 51st divisions, together with certain specialised units. Throughout Friday, Mitchell medium bombers and longrange Beaufighters swept the waters of the Huon Gulf, relentlessly destroying everything afloat. Parties of more than 100 Japanese desperately striving to reach can'd perished to a man.

Indicative of the thoroughness with which Allied aircraft carried out their task were two radio messages from an attacking aeroplane. The first said: “Sighted three boats containing 200 Japanese.” The second added: “There were no survivors.” At least some of the enemy soldiers wore jungle green battledress. All reports confirm that the Japanese ships were heavily laden with stores as well as troops and that they carried big deck cargoes. In addition to the landing barges and light rafts on the decks of the transports logs bound together were carried on the warships. Apparently these logs were to have been used to assist landings. American war correspondents in this theatre are warning the United States against the assumption that the destruction of the convoy shows that General MacArthur has ample aircraft. The “New York Times” correspondent says: “Allied air forces in Australia are nothing like the big fleet some American commentators credit General MacArthur with having under his command. His air chief (Lieutenant-General Kenny) could use many more aeroplanes—and evidently with very good effect.” A Washington message quotes an American air force general as saying that with no more than 7 per cent, of the United States monthly aircraft output he would guarantee to blast his way right to Tokio. INVASION POSSIBILITIES. In Australia, Federal Ministers emphasise that victory in the Bismarck Sea does not necessarily mean security in the southern Pacific. “Our worry to-day is that people are too inclined to complacency,” said the Minister of Shipping and Supply (Mr Beasley). He said that the safer Australians felt the more reluctant they were to stand up to their responsibilities. Giving a warning that the enemy would make new attacks, Mr. Beasley said that if the war ended to-morrow with the Japanese still in possession of occupied islands peace would be merely a respite with an inevitable new war in 20 years orsooner.

An American war news analyst, Mr. Raymond Gram Swing, says the annihilation of the convoy has not proved the impossibility of an enemy invasion of Australia, but it has proved that any invasion attempt would be ruinously costly. Many American commentators believe that the Bismarck Sea convoy was part of a planned series of Japanese moves, having the direct invasion of Australia as their ultimate aim. But whatever the basis for this conjecture there is unlikely to be any confirmation from the Japanese, who have not mentioned the disastrous battle in any news broadcasts. “The Japanese weather man has probably committed harakiri by now,” commented a senior Allied Air Corps officer discussing the factors contributing to the obliteration of the enemy arm'ade. “Although flying conditions were far from perfect for the great part of our air operations, a heavy storm being used by the convoy as protective cover did not extend as far south as was evidently expected. Our aircraft were able to find .holes in the clouds through which to make their strikes.”

JAP. AERIAL LOSSES

(N.Z.P.A Special Australian Correspondent!

SYDNEY, March 7. With the obliteration of the last traces of the Japanese Bismarck Sea convoy, there has been a slackening of Allied air activity in the southwest Pacific area. Three enemy aeroplanes were shot down when Havoc attack aeroplanes and Beauflghters, with a top cover of Kittyhawks, again raided the Lae aerodrome in New Guinea. Japanese air interception was described as weak.

Over Goodenough Island, in the d’Entrecasteaux groun, a single enemy bomber was shot down by Allied lighters. Other Allied air attacks were made on Saturday on Japanese aerodromes at Alexishafen in New Guinea and Cape Gloucester in New Britain. The Guadgasal saddle near Mubo, in New Guinea, was heavily strafed on Saturday. There are no further reports of land fighting in this area.

JAP. DESTROYERS SUNK,

RUGBY, March 6.

A United States Navy communique says: “American aircraft bombed Japanese positions at Munda and Buin on Friday. On Friday night a task force composed of light surface units bombarded Japanese positions at Villa and Munda. Light Japanese surface forces attempted to drive off the bombardment group and two large enemy destroyers were sunk during the engagement. No American vessels were lost. “The successful completion of the mission of an American task force in the south Pacific now makes possible the following announcement: ‘A formation of seven Japanese torpedo aeroplanes on February 17 located and launched an attack against a task force. Five enemy aeroplanes were shot down. No damage was suffered by the American vessels.’ ’’ U.S.A. AERIAL ATTACKS RUGBY, March 7.

A United States Navy communique states: In the South Pacific on March 5 American aircraft bombed enemy installations in Viru Harbour on the southern coast of New Georgia.. On Friday night, Japanese planes raided a United States position on Tulagi Island. 20 miles north of Guadalcanal airfield. Two men were killed. Early on the morning of Saturday,' Ame r ican planes bombed and strafed positions at Munda, New Georgia Island. The result has'not been re-

ported. During the morning Liberators bombed and started fires in enemy-held areas at Kahili, Buin and Ballale, in the Shortland Island area.

It is officially stated that RearAdmiral D. L. Ghormley has relieved Rear-Admiral Bagley as commander on the Hawaiian sea frontier, and commandant of the 14th Naval District. ANGLO-U.S.A. COMMENTS NEW YORK, March 6. The American Associated Press military commentator says the Bismarck Sea battle was not only a superb performance by Allied airmen but also a victory of supply, because all the equipment used in smashing the Japanese had to be transported from the United States to Australia by ship. He says the fact that most American convoys have reached Pacific destinations unmolested by submarines is one of the big mysteries of the war. In marked contrast to Germany’s tactics, Japanese submarines in the Pacific have been active mainly as naval auxiliaries, never seriously molesting American convoys. “Annihilation of the Japanese m the Huon Gulf was a fitting counterstroke to the sinking of the Prince of Wales and the Repulse,” says the commentator of the London “Sunday Times.” He says the episode illustrates the extent to which control of the sea has passed from surface warships to land-based aircraft in waters where the latter can operate. “The Japanese were the first Power to grasp the full implications of air power’s control of the sea,” he writes. “Their strategy in this regard has been admirable. Fortunately their equipment does not equal their strategy. Their aircraft are now completely outclassed. Their army, too, has inadequate mechanisation. It has been exceptionally well trained for jungle fighting, but on ordinary terrain would be swamped by tanks and aircraft.” Such terrain occurs in Java and the Philippines, adds the commentator, expressing the belief that General MacArthur’s strategy is directed towards the Philippines. The approach will be a matter of aeroplanes blasting the Japanese out of their intermediate bases,” he says. “Until recently the Allies had insufficient aeroplanes to start the process, which has now begun and will gather momentum as it proceeds through the increasing destruction of Japanese aircraft.” JAPANESE PLANS “Japan was going ahead with plans to invade Australia when her 22-ship convoy met with disaster in the Bismarck Sea,” said Admiral Yates Stirling, former chief of the United States Naval Staff. “The Allied victory has greatly delayed Japan’s time-table and possibly stalled it for ever.” Admiral Stirling gave several reasons for his belief Japan was developing plans for the invasion of Australia. They included:—(l) For the first time Japan appears to have advanced as far as she can elsewhere. Her foothold in the Aleutians is weakening, the British have the initiative in Burma, and the Chinese fronts are holding. (2) She has available millions of troops and more than 7,500,000 tons of shipping (as much I as the United Nations used in invading Africa) to throw into the effort. (3) She has built a powerful ring

of air bases in the islands north of Australia in spite of frequent attacks by General MacArthur’s bombing and strafing aeroplanes. A broadcast from the Tokio radio indicated officially that Japan believed she must win the war in 1943 or face defeat. It quoted General Tojo as saying that 1943 was the year in which the issue of the world war must be decided. Japan was mobilising her rich natural resources in Greater East Asia and concentrating Japan’s power for the defeat oi America and Britain. RESCUED BY SUBMARINE (Recd. 1 p.m.) SYDNEY, March 8. Six American airmen, who set out to bomb an objective in the Solomons, last month, finished up their mission in a submarine, being depth-charged by Japanese. Although their bombing mission was scheduled to take only a few hours they did not return for 18 days. The fliers had completed their task, when an anti-air-craft burst set the plane on fire, forcing the crew to jump. All landed 111 the water some miles from a small island, but managed to reach the shore. Other Allied aircraft noted their position, and a submarine was despatched to pjck them up. The submarine went on an 18-day patrol before bringing the airmen back. “We can't tell you what happened,” said one of the airmen, “but the submarine is not so bad. except when you have to sweat out depth charges.” AUSTRALIA’S MILITIA

CHICAGO, March 5. The “Chicago Tribune” editorially says: “No doubt Mr Curtin’s gratitude to General MacArthur is sincere, but the General would be pleased if the Australian Government rewarded him by lifting the restrictions on the use of Australian troops against Japan. It has been suggested Australians adopted this policy because of a wish to offend the Japanese as little as possible, but it is difficult to believe Australians are so short-sighted. It must be obvious that only a Japanese defeat can remove the threat against Australia. Australia would probably have been already overrun, save for American aeroplanes, ships, and men. Therefore, America has the right to expect that Australians should place their entire resources unreservedly at General MacArthur’s disposal. The Bismarck Sea victory has shown that America, unlike Australia, has no reason to fear invasion. We are independent of other nations for the means to destroy an enemy expedition before it nears our coast. Although we are secure, we are sacrificing the lives of our young men to safeguard Australia. If we do not hesitate to send conscripts to defend' Australia, Australians ought to do as much to save themselves.’