THE CORAL SEA

Grey River Argus, 23 May 1942, Page 5

THE CORAL SEA

“Japan’s Patron Zone” TOKIO VERSION OF THE BATTLE. NEW YORK, May 21. The Tokio official radio< to-day said: “The Coral Sea Battle was fought on two days, May 7 and 8. The battle <-.n May 7 was similar to that off Malaya. ' Powerful British and American fleets were lured into the northern part nf the Coral Sea by a feint carried out by* a smart Japanese air-craft-carrier. Our naval forces speedily trapped the enemy fleet in the effort to finish it in one fell swoop. Several hundred Japanese and enemy planes violently stormed at each other. “Although the Japanese were seriously outnumbered,” said the spokesman, who said the battle was in every sense modern. He said: “We sank two powerful: aircraftcarriers, with all planes on board, and shot down additional aircraft four times the number of those destroyed with the carriers, proving that the Japanese fighting strength in the air is superior to the enemy. What surprised us was we desperate retreat of the enemy.” The spokesman then gave a dissertation on American secrecv, in an obvious effort to elicit information. He proceeded: “The Cora] Sea has become our patrol zone. This should make it clear who was victorious.” The broadcast was apparently an attempt to elicit information. Australia Warned GRAVE POSSIBILITIES. SYDNEY, May 21. The Prime Minister (Mr. Curtin) emphasised to-dav danger to He spoke of grave possibility and said: “That warning I repeat in the gravest terms as the tempo of the struggle increases.”