AGGRESSIVE POLICY

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 86, Issue 67, 20 March 1942, Page 5

AGGRESSIVE POLICY

AMERICANS AND R.A.A.F. d • SINGLE STRIKING FORCE 51 e j Melbourne, March 18. The United States air forces in e Australia are being fused with the Royal Australian Air Force } into a single striking force under _ i a unified command. e I Ail the resources of men and ? !equipment will be pooled and the e ! policy of supplying the whole force ■. i Willi United States machines of the ■r'latest and best types has been recomjr. ciiced to achieve the maximum r i standardisation. y| This was announced yesterday by - j Lieutenant-General George H. Brett, c Chief 01 the Air Forces in the South- - j west Pacific and Deputy Supreme v |U. /inlander of all forces in the area. I Tde combined air force thus will oe t under the same control as the Army. 1 Genei al Brett, who was giving ms . krst Press conference, revealed that i spent a week in Australia in January oelore assuming command oi the air forces in Java. I ‘T*ic foundations were laid then for a heli oi a good fighting air force,” he said. ‘‘Building up an air force in a new country, with unfamiliar terrain and different weather and flying conditions, is a big job, but air strength ;s (ommg. and our job is to keep it rolling without interruption. “VUiile we are laying plans for future developments we are tuhmg what we have to-day and using it to a maximum. We are watching the Japanese areas to the north nd praying for the i chance to swat them. • “At the same time our men are put- ’• ting in invaluable operational ana - combat training, and we are supplying the Australians with aircraft as V rapidly as we can. We have just given them a lot.” In Java it was impossible to carry out the first principle of air warfare, which is never to lose a plane on the . ground. Whatever is coming over, it j is always the policy to get them into tne air and give them a chance. In Australia we are preparing to put into _ effect the English policy of dispersal. , “There are three things we have known for a long time about air defence of the civilian population. You must have an efficient aircraft warning service, good A.A. batteries, and lighter coverage. With these you can get any group of people to work anywhere at any time. To maintain your hold on an area you must have these.” GENERAL APPRECIATION BRITISH MEH OF AMERICAN PROMISES. o' . Rugby, March 17. ! Appreciation is generally expressed here of the statement by the chief oi the United States “lend-lease” mission to Australia, Mr. Wasserman, that ~ the help now being given by the United States to that country was : on!y the beginning of a bow which ! would soon bee ome a mighty river.” j The Daily Telegraph says “Both the American and British peoples rea- } Use what it means to them that Japanese forces should be on the Australians’ doorstep. If Japan were to secure strongholds in Australia and iNew Zealand, the task of defeating _ i her. which is a fundamental necessity ito \merka and to us, would be griev- ; ously prolonged.—B.O.W. JAPS. IN NEW GUINEA CONTACT WITH AUSTRALIANS EXPECTED ~— I, (Reed. 11.25.) Canberra. March 19. s Advice has been received from a New Guinea that considerable forces _ of Japanese are advancing up the _ Markham Valiev from Lae. It is believed they will soon make contact h ■ with -the Australians. £ I Markham Valley is about 200 miles _ I north-west of Port Moresby. The n I enemy is rapidly coming into a posie tion where .t will be possible to send „ over small parties to Port Moresby, p but these will be vulnerable. It is ’ also obvious that the enemy is seeking aerodromes in Markham Valley. ' A further communique issued tonight stated that the Japanese again bombed Port Moresby to-dai. The raid which was carried “mt in medium force, was directed at harbour installations. About 40 bombs > were dropped. Neither casualties nor is damage is reported. d The Air Minister has received no i details of th r Allied air raid on JapaH I nese ships at Salamaua. it I The War Cabinet has decreed that v ; all men between 18 and 60 not called up for the fighting service shall be i liable for service in fire-fighting j squads, roof watching and similar t ' essential duties in the event of an • emergency.