TWO WEEKS

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 86, Issue 55, 6 March 1942, Page 5

TWO WEEKS

CORRESPONDENT’S VIEW JAVA POSSIBILITIES GRAND DUTCH AIRMEN i (By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright.) | ' (Recd 9.45 p.m.j Sydney, March 5. | “And 1 give java two weeks' i life at the most.” This view was expressed by the i Daily Telegraphs war correspondent, Tom Fairhall, who returned to Sydney. He declared: “The Dutch will fight on to the end. They may be able to retreat to the hills and turn parts of the country into ‘little Philippines.' Their grand airmen will fly obsolete planes until they cannot take them off the ground. “Tne Allied Command in Java achieved little, ’ addea r airhall. "According to Dr. Van aiook, a complicated commana was superimposeu over the Duicn. He said n impeaeu the Dutch defence. Even alter Singapore ten there aid not seem to be a determined eiiort to push Bntisn troops into the East males. Tne 1 Japanese success was due to the deadly simplicity of tneir tactics, their commensense ana leadersnip. We were outfought because of our reu vape, the blundering scarcity of air power, tiie lsck ox uxcensive spirit ano the native liftn column, unlike the Japanese, we showed little imagination. Troops properly traineu in jungle warfare iougnt nke tigers, but the reinforcements sent to Malaya nad not been trained in jungle teennique. 1 heard we had 250 planes in Maiaya when war broke out. ± often heard our air tactics severely criticised. I don't think any squadron fought the Japanese as an intact squadron. They were sent up two and three at a time against strong Japanese bombers protected by lighters. They didn’t have a hope. The Japanese concentrated on our airfields and oombed them constantly. The sinking of the Prince of Wales and the Repulse was a perfect example oi our air and anti-aircraft strength. There were more high-angle antiaircraft guns on the Prince of Wales than in the whole of Singapore. ■“The Japanese bombing is good,’’ concluded Fainhall. "Their bombers are beauties, iheir antipersonnel bombs are terrific. I'hey land ami burst downwards. They will get you if you are lying flat on the ground or even in a shallow trench.”