ATTACK ON DARWIN

Grey River Argus, 27 November 1942, Page 5

ATTACK ON DARWIN

LIKELY JAPANESE PLAN

From Timor Island

[Aust. & N.Z. Cable Assn.] NEW YORK, Nov. 24.

Major Eliot, the military critic, writing in the New York “HeraldTribune” says that the Japanese may attack Port' Darwin. . Citing the steady Allied a'ir bombardment of Timor, Major Eliot points out that the Japanese may be planning a diversionary attack on Port Darwin from the Island of Timor, hoping to ease pressure on their positions farther eastward, and thereby to prevent the Allies assembling a striking force for an attack on Kabaul, while at the same time enabling the Japanese to build up a new offensive to restore the Solomons and New Guinea situation. He says: “The Japanese cannot hope to conduct a major invasion ot Australia from Port Darw’.n, because of difficulty of supplying a large invading army any distance from the coast. But an attack on O aa T vm would doubtless compel General MacArthur to take strong defensive measures, thereby hampering an Allied offensive against Rabaul limor has the advantage of well-pro-tected lines of communication. However, the extent of the damage constant air attacks may have wrought on Japanese installations is not known. At any rate, Darwin and the whole north-west coast of Australia are possible scenes of Japanese diversionary offensives in the next few weeks. Bigger Forces Needed TO OPPOSE JAPAN. WASHINGTON, Nov. 25. A warning that casualties in tne war against Japan may eventually be laro-er than in all other theatres ol w J combined, is given by the “New York Sun” correspondent Mi. DaViJ Lawrence, expressing the opinion that the Pacific should be rj ven prime consideration in the American overall strategy. iTniied Mr. Lawrence says: “If the Unitea Nations forces are to extend the 01 fensives beyond New Guinea and t southern Solomons, the Pacific tnea tre can no longer be considered a number two proposition. lhe war with Japan deserves paramount at Cention.’’ Putting first in the Pacific war will save many lives ” MIDWAY HERO. NEW YORK, Nov. 24 Mr. Roosevelt presented P os ’-' hnmouslv the Congressional Medal, oi Honour to Captain Richard Fleming, for extraordinary heroism mi the battle of Midway, on the first daj ot which Fleming’s plane was hit HJ times When his squadron leader was S down, Fleming led 'the Division with fearless determination Once he dived his. own plane to 400 feet before releasing a bomb Fleming’s plane was hit and fell I in flames into the sea. lhe wnne I-louse invited Fleming’s mother receive the medal.