BATTLE OF AUSTRALIA

Grey River Argus, 17 March 1942, Page 5

BATTLE OF AUSTRALIA

AMERICAN PLANES

There With Army Vanguard

WASHINGTON OPTIMISM.

ENEMY MUST BE KEPT OUT.

(Received Midnight.) [Aust. & N.Z. Cable Asr.i'.j WASHINGTON, March 15. Relative optimism is prevailing in Washington regarding the Pacific situation. It is based on two factors the arrival of American troops in Australia, and the supply of American fighter aircraft there. , It was admitted that American troops in Australia probably number only a few thousand, but they are the vanguard of a great expeditionary force which is being sent to Australia. , . / Apart from the moral weight of the visible American support to the threatened Australians, it is understood that the American soldiers there include the best trained and best equipped troops in the entire United States Army. . More important as an immediate factor in the military situation is the arrival of American fighter planes in Australia. If they present a sufficient force to protect the Flying Fortress bombers’ operations, the outcome of the battle for Australia should be far more different than that for Java, where the Flying Fortresses were unprotected by fighters, and hence were forced to withdraw. Furthermore, although the Allied Naval inferiority is now more marked than ever, some American Naval units are still operating off Australia. In addition the role of American submarines operating in the Pacific area is becoming very important.

Washington is keenly aware that the forthcoming battle will be grim, but the authorities recognise that the retention of Australia is vital to the Allied military strategy from both the offensive and defensive viewpoints, for, as Mr Curtin ■ has pointed out in his speech to America, if Australia falls the west coast of America will be the next Japanese invasion target.

Less Supplies

FROM AUSTRALIA

NEW’ DELHI, Marc! 15

Sir Bertram Stevens, Australian representative on the Eastern Group Supply Council, who is returning to Australia, said that Japan’s rapid southward drive altered the situation of the Eastern Group Supply Council. With four of the countries represented on the Council under enemy occupation, the Council had been halved.- Communications were most difficult. The threat against Australia and India expanded the internal needs of both, thus reducing the surplus available to the Group as a whole. , He added that Australia will do her utmost to fulfill her obligations, but she is hardlv able to shoulder her responsibilities for external supplies on the former scale.

Thursday Island

SATURDAY’S RAID

SYDNEY. March 16. Eight Japanese bombers, escorted by nine lighters, raided Thursday Island on Saturday. There were no fatal casualties. Allied planes shot down two lighters and two bombers. One Allied fighter was lost. The bombers, in tight-packed formation, kept at an extreme altituae. well away from anti-aircraft nre. and made only one hurried run over the target before they dropped their bombs and made off at top speed.

AUSTRALIAN AIRMEN’S

GETAWAY.

RUGBY, March 15.

Further interesting details are available regarding the evacuation of R A.A.F. men from northern island bases. The transfer occupied two nghts, and was completed by 2.30 m the morning. Meanwhile, the Australians were hustled, dive-bombed and machine-gunned by the Japanese, who were attempting to destroy the Australian planes. _ . To reduce weight to a m.mmurm all men stripped to the waist before embarking Twenty-three were packed into planes normally carrying 13. Because of the danger of the plane losing eouiiibrium during the takeoff, the men gathered near the pilot's end of the machine, except the wounded, who lav on the floor at the other end. The bombers had only 700 yards’ runway.