NEW COMMANDER

Grey River Argus, 30 November 1943, Page 5

NEW COMMANDER

FOR NAVY IN SOUTH-WEST PACIFIC. “NO EASY ROAD” (Rec. 1.10) SYDNEY. Nov. 29. The co-operation and co-ordination of all services will be the aim of Vice-Admiral Thomas C. Kinkaid, of the United States Navy, who has arrived in Australia to take over command of the Allied naval forces in the South-west Pacific from ViceAdmiral Carpender. “There is ,no easy road to Tokio,” said Admiral Kinkaid. “The way will be hard. I think that the Japanese fleet at present is unbalanced, because of cruiser and destroyer losses, but the Japanese are aggressive enemies. They must be worried about their losses, particularly of merchant shipping, but the Japanese will continue to fight back. It appears that we must continue bur present policy of heavy attrition in the Pacific. ’ Admiral Kinkaid praised the battleship as a powerful offensive and defensive weapon. Its high speed, heavy armour, and its enormous anti-air-craft battery made it a formidable foe. Jap Cruisers Hit SYDNEY, Nov. 29. In St. George’s Channel between New Ireland and New Britain, an Allied reconnaissance bomber scored, a direct hit with a 10001 b bomb on a Japanese light cruiser. Heavy damage to a Japanese cruiser, which was bombed near Kavieng, New Ireland, was reported by Gen. MacArthur. Two direct hits caused an explosion and a fire below decks. A second enemy light cruiser was probably damaged when it was attacked by Allied bombers near Garove Island in the Vitu Group off the coast of New Britain. (Rec. 8 p.m.) SYDNEY, Nov. 29. The fate is uncertain of the Japanese light cruiser airectly hit with a 1000-lb bomb in S't. George’s Channel. A heaxy explosion followed Liberators’ attack. It was American motor-torpedo boats which intercepted and sank in Vitiaz Strait five west-bound Japanese barges loaded with two hundred troops and artillery. It is believed the troops were drowned, and were intended to reinforce enemy strength on the Huon Peninsula.