AUSTRALIA’S MIRACLE

Grey River Argus, 17 December 1943, Page 8

AUSTRALIA’S MIRACLE

ESCAPE FROM JAP INVASION. NO DEFENCE WEAPONS’ FOR MONTHS. Dec. 16. The Christmas book of the Australian Air Force, “R.A.A.F. Log,’’ just published, says that the Japanese failure to invade Australia in 1942 was due to the timely arrival of American and some British aid, coupled with an unaccountable lack of boldness on the part of the enemy High Command. '“lt was a miracle Australia was not invested by the enemy;,” state the authors. Such a move might well have been a complete and tragic success had the enemy advanced more boldly than he did. His over-caution, his pronounced reconnaissance and probing of ill-fortified and defenceless bastions lost him Australia—or at least Australian bcISGS ff Weapons of war at the Australian Force’s disposal in 1941 and early in 1942 are described as having been “almost non-existent,” and the air strength on this front had been nearly exhausted by the heroic stand made by the few combat squadrons in Malaya and the islahds to Australia’s north.

The battles of Coral Sea, Milne Bay and Bismarck Sea are named as the three major actions which turned the tide against Japan. Surveying the factors which changed Australia’s position from one of great weakness to one of great strength, the authors list (1) the arrival of American armed forces, (2) Increased flow of Australian air production, (3) Delivery of two matchless British types of modern combat aircraft, Beauiighters and Spitfires,