Taken as Evidence Of Growing Strength

Manawatu Times, Volume 68, Issue 59, 11 March 1943, Page 5

Taken as Evidence Of Growing Strength

(By Telegraph—Press Assn.—Copyright.) (Special Australian Correspondent.) Received Wednesday, 10.15 p.m. SYDNEY, Mar. 10. Evidence of the expanding Japanese air power in the Southwest Pacific was an attack on Tuesday by 47 enemy planes (26 bombers and 21 fighters) on the Allied aerodrome at Wau in Northern New Guinea. This is the greatest force mustered by the Japanese for a New Guinea raid since last August. For the first time in many months, the enemy in this theatre have held the air initiative for a single day. No Allied raids on Tuesday are reported in the latest communique from General MacArthur’s Headquarters. Twenty-six twin-engined bombers flew over Wau aerodrome in a tignt v formation and dropped their bombs in a single pass. No attempt was made at low-level bombing or strafing. The damage and casualties caused on the airfield are officially reported to be light. Last August, the Japanese employed a bomber force of about equal size in a raid on Port Moresby. The only other air activity reported in the Southwest Pacific area on Tuesday was the splendid fight made by a single Fortress which was intercepted by nine Zeros while reconnoitring over Gasmata (New Britain). Four enemy fighters were shot into the sea and a fifth is also believed to have been destroyed. The Fortress returned to its base unharmed. Australian papers this afternoon publish a recent striking aerial reconnaissance photograph of the Rabaul (New Britain) harbour showing plainly discernible to the unaided eye, a concentration of some sixty warships and transports in one comparatively small section of the harbour. The photograph was released by General MacArthur’s Headquarters on Tuesday. “These ships should be constantly sunk, their planes blasted on the ground and men harried in non-stop air attacks,” comments the Sydney Sun editorially. 4 4 Our Bismarck Sea victory was gained by a comparatively inadequate force splendidly organised and manoeuvred. In that respect, it approximates to the David and Goliath battle of Spitfires against the Luftwaffe in 1940, but while Rabaul remains as great a distributing base for the enemy’s air and maritime adventures in New Guinea and the Solomons, it is too early to congratulate ourselves that the danger has passed. “Our air forces, American and Australian, have done magnificent work, but there are not enough of them in action to carry out the principles of the best defence—which is a constant and hard-hitting offensive. With adequate equipment, we can do more than halt the Japanese. We can actually increase our ability to destroy them, their planes and their shipping, and thus save time when the final great and full-powerea drive to victory is prepared.” Contrasting with the recent authoritative Australian comment about the amount of “free” Japanese shipping in the Southwest Pacific area, are statements by the American Navy Secretary (Colonel Knox), that Japanese shipping losses have increased their difficulties in supplying their island bases to a point where the attritional process is seriously affecting Japan’s military future. However, he admitted the possibility oi renewed enemy attacks in the Southeastern Solomons and added that the general Pacific situation at present was in a state of “suspended animation.” Louis Sebring, New York HeraldTribune war correspondent in this area, says that Eastern New Guinea anywhere from Milne Bay to Dutch New Guinea still remains the Japanese objective. It will be recalled that Mr. Sebring last month predicted a new Japanese southward drive to be launched probably on March 3rd, the date on which the enemy’s ill-fated Bismarck Sea convoy actually left.