SOUTH PACIFIC LULL

Grey River Argus, 7 November 1942, Page 5

SOUTH PACIFIC LULL

WILL SOON END

ALLIED AIR RAIDS Indicate Fresh Enemv Naval Attack [Special to N.Z. Press Assn.J (Rec. 10,10.) SYDNEY, Nov. 6. Although combat activity throughout the South-west Pacific has been on a reduced scale during the past few days, there are many indications that this Tull is likely to tie a short lived one. . In the Solomons and in New Guinea as well as on Timor Island to the north of Australia, the latest communique reports of operations by aircraft of General MacArthur’s command imply that there are both efforts to neutralise anticipated enemy blows, as well as, perhaps, an attempted “softening” of the enemy’s North Papuan bases, for fresh Allied advances.

There is the continued presence of Japanese shipping in the northern Solomons. This is revealed in today’s South-west Pacific Headquarters communique. Allied bombers are reported to have made a further night' attack on concentrations in the Buin-Faisi area. No indication has been given of the number of enemy ships in this area, but most of the commentators believe that the concentration has dwindled in size from that of the thirty-five warships and nine transports reported there late last month. The results of the attack could not be observed.

No Allied raid on Rabaul has been reported since last Saturday, which may indicate a temporary lessening of Japanese activity at this base. During October, Flving Fortresses without the loss of a single ’plane, made twelve raids on the enemy shipping at Rabaul. A further heavy raid has been made bv Allied medium and heavy bombers, with fighter escort, on the Japanese North Papuan base at Salamaua. Supply installations were attacked, causing explosions and numerous fires.

Reconnaissance shows that many enemv barges and trucks were destroyed on Wednesday la a raid oh Sanananda Point, in the Buna area. Both Salamaua and Lae have been relentlessly .raided recently. These attacks are the logical development QI the Allied advance onwards. Buna is the third base for Japanese operations in New Guinea. The Allied purpose is to neutralise these bases and to prevent the passage of enemy supplies and reinforcements. This can' be clearly seen in continued air attacks.

The “New York Times’s” military commentator, Mr Baldwin, warns however, that the Allies are “still a very long way from eliminating these bases,” and he adds that "another South-west Pacific crisis will almost certainly occur soon.” He regards the arrival of substantial American air reinforcements in this theatre as a most encouraging sign, but he says “our chief disadvantage in the South Pacific is still the definite, though diminishing, Japanese quantitative naval suoeriority.” U.S. NAVY EXPECTATION. FURTHER NAVAL CLASH. (Rec. 10.25.) NEW YORK, Nov 5. The “New York Times’s” Washington correspondent states: A Navy spokesman, commenting on the Navy’s communique on Guadalcanar operations, conceded that the situation on Guadalcanar Island, where The Americans are now fighting in opposite directions, must be considered to be.’ serious as long as the Japanese remain on the island. , “But there is no reports, adds the correspondent, “that the Americans are in serious trouble on Guadalcanar. There is no news either from the South Pacific waters, where United States Navy leaders still expect an imoortant naval clash.”