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Grey River Argus, 11 March 1943, Page 5

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Wanted in South Pacific

MR CURTIN’S APPEAL.

CANBERRA, Mar. 10.

The Australian' Government’s aim was put to the Allied leaders in a case for increased air strength in the South-west Pacific, which would permit swift massive blows at the enemy, said the Prime Minister (Mr Curtin) last night. Stressing such air strength did not yet exist, Mr Curtin said the Bismarck Sea victory was achieved by brilliant concentration rather than by overwhelming numerical superiority. The total weight of bombs used was 226 tons, as against 1500 tons dropped on Essen, in less than 40 minutes. A cable message from America and Britain indicated an inclination on the part of Press commentators that the destruction of the Japanese convoy established the fact that overwhelming air superiority had been established north of Australia. The disclosure of the small forces used, however, put the Bismarck Sea victory in its correct perspective. When the South-west Pacific command had at its disposal forces for concentrated bombing, like the Essen raid, the task of blasting the Japanese out of their ring of northern bases would become immeasurably easier.