FIRST ROUND WON

New Zealand Herald, Volume 79, Issue 24270, 11 May 1942, Page 5

FIRST ROUND WON

NO OVER-OPTIMISM !' ' ' ENEMY'S AIR STRENGTH ASCENDANCY SUFFERS CHECK (Special Correspondent) (Reed. 11.50 p.m.) SYDNEY, May 10 "The news is heartening, but it is too early to say whether it is conclusive. The first round goes to us. How decisive it is remains to be seen." This comment by the Allied High Command spokesman typifies the careful Australian reaction to the news of the great naval battle of the Coral Sea. Other commentators express the opinion that although the Japanese naval forces have broken off the engagement they may be regrouped and reinforced and the great battle may enter a new phase. Everywhere there is a keen desire to avoid over-optimism. Invasion of Australia "A full-scale attempt to invade Australia has been temporarily turned aside, but the danger is still present," says a war correspondent at an advanced Allied base. The Prime Minister, Mr. Curtin, sounded the same note when he said: "The invasion menace is capable at any hour of becoming an actuality." It is pointed out that no mention is made of troop transports in the Coral Sea Battled The Japanese naval force is believed to have been sent ahead to blast a way for transport. It is also thought hero that the enemy intended to make a direct invasion of the North Queensland coast. No assessment has been made of the strength of the forces engaged. Some estimates claim that the Japanese forces were larger than those emplayed in the Battle of the Java Sea. Disposition of Carriers What is generally held to be a most satisfying feature of the encounter is the blow struck at the two enemy air-craft-carriers. As far as is known these were the only Japanese carriers operating in the South-west Pacific. The enemy seaplane tender damaged was one of three known to have been engaged for some time in ferrying Japanese air strength from home bases to Rabaul. One outcome of the battle is that the Japanese have lost again, at least temporarily, air ascendancy in the South-west Pacific theatre. Whether they will be able to rehabilitate their position will probably depend on what use they have made of their five air-craft-carriers which were recently operating in the Bay of Bengal and which have now disappeared in the Indian Ocean. Air Umbrella Lost With no air umbrella to guard them the Japanese naval forces were last reported steaming northward in an area where land-based aircraft from recentlyoccupied island aerodromes would afford some protection. The Japanese naval forces were first sighted by an Allied reconnaissance plane a considerable time before the action. From that time onward the enemy fleet was kept under continued air observation. Several times under cover of darkness the ships changed direction to avoid observation, but always Allied planes picked them up again.