AUSTRALIAN ATTACKS

Grey River Argus, 17 March 1942, Page 5

AUSTRALIAN ATTACKS

Upset Enemy Advance

JAP. 'PLANES NOT ADEQUATE.

SYDNEY, March 16

The “Herald’s” Port Moresby correspondent states: The Japanese aie now obliged to split their available air strength over at least three main bases. —Huon Gulf, Gasmata, and Rabaul,—and there is every indication, from the methods of operation, that they are now trying to conserve their aircraft as much as possible. The correspondent says that the Japanese, who have been unable to get their offensive re-started since the R.A.A.F. wrested the initiative from them five days ago, with a series of lightning blows against ships and aerodromes, are now’ takino- severe punishment over a wide triangle bounded by Lae, Rabaul and Gasmata. With their convoy broken up in the Huon Gulf and the Lae and Salamaua aerodromes blasted, our main .offensive is directed against Rabaul, now Japan’s inost vital intermediate base on the TrukLaf 1,300-mile supply line, which has now stretched almost to breaking point. The threat to the Japanese is the complete severance of this line, wherealong comes all food, munitions and fuel.

The “Daily Telegraph’s” correspondent at Port Moresby says: Constant R.A.A.F. hammering is making the Japanese positions in the New Guinea zone increasingly uncomfortable. The bases at Salamaua and Lae are being subjected to an air offensive that is growing in intensity. So encouraging have been the early results of this offensive, that there is reason to hope that New Guinea may be the rock w'hereon the eastern end of the Japanese sweep southwards will break.