LARGE-SCALE BATTLE

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 86, Issue 242, 14 October 1942, Page 5

LARGE-SCALE BATTLE

NOW DEVELOPING IN SOLOMONS NAVAL ACTION REPORTED (Special Australian Correspondent—N.Z.P.A.) Sydney, Oct. 13. The Japanese Navy has been engaged by Allied forces near the Solomons, according to the Paris radio. “The results of the engagement will be announced soon,’’ says the radio, quoting a Japanese Navy spokesman. There is no news here of such a battle, but Australian observers generally share the belief of London and Washington military and naval experts that a large-scale battle is developing in the Solomons. American naval experts believe that the most crucial land battle in the Pacific since the fall of the Indies and Malaya is shaping in the Solomon Islands.

They explain that Japan's de- ; termination to reinforce her ‘ troops on Guadalcanal* regardless >of losses shows that she hopes to ’concentrate sufficient ground •forces to march down the island >against the American airfield.

z Japanese reinforcements being •landed on Guadalcanar Island under • the cover of darkness are believed to {include veteran jungle fighters from . New Guinea, as well as troops from 'China.

The United Press correspondent in Washington says that the Japanese landings are taking place on the same side of the mountains where the American positions are established, and therefore the Japanese are probably considering a southward push through a series of pincer actions. Naval observers, who emphasise the importance of the south-eastern Solomons in protecting the Allied supply routes to Australia and New Zealand, do not attempt to minimise the blow to the strategic positions in the Pacific should the Japanese push succeed.

Joseph C. Harsch, who till recently was the Christian Science Monitor’s war correspondent in the South-west -Pacific, declares that the American operations in the Solomons were distorted during the early phases and that the public were led to believe this was a great counter-attack to sweep the Japanese back through the Indies and the Philippines. He says that reliable sources declare that the marines cannot hold out indefinitely unless they are substantially reinforced quickly.

The Sydney Morning Herald’s war correspondent, who recently visited Guadalcanar. says that large United States reinforcements have arrived there, considerably easing the position, which more than once in the past seven weeks has been “touch and go.”

The vital importance of the battle of the Solomons to Australia and New Zealand is stressed editorially by the Sydney Daily Telegraph to-day. It says: “If the Japanese drove the Americans from Guadalcanar, the eastern coast of Australia and the Allied supply route to this country and New Zealand would be open to a flanking attack. The meagre information available suggests that the enemy’s plan is to concentrate all his available South-west Pacific forces in the Solomons. Such a move could

tilt the balance of power in favour of the Japanese.” Emphasising the need for strong Allied reinforcements on Guadalcanar. the Daily Telegraph adds: “It is not suggested that the enemy is preventing American reinforcements from landing. If the distance from the United States is the reason for the lack of reinforcements, why not send men from Australia? This and other related problems could be solved more expeditiously if we had a single command in the South-west Pacific not a military command based on Australia and a naval command based on New Zealand. Independent commands in the interdependent strategic areas are illogical. The Solomons battle should not be regarded merely as a naval show. Its outcome could materially affect the fortunes of the United Nations. We cannot afford to risk a major reverse through remote control and divided command.” Opinion in Britain and America is that the Japanese are going slowly in New Guinea and the Aleutians in order to muster their forces for a great effort in the Solomons. It appears to be generally recognised that possession of the Guadalcanar airfield would enable the Japanese to prosecute their prime purpose in the southwest Pacific —the attempted occupation of the New Hebrides and New Caledonia, placing them across the supply line from America to Australia and New Zealand. “None should minimise the danger of fresh Japanese troop landings in the Solomons.” says the London .Daily Telegraph. “Tokio is showing that it is well aware that unless the Japanese hold the airfields aiii harbours of the island chain from Asia across the South-west Pacific, they cannot keep their conquests.”

FOUR CRUISERS LOST

AUGUST ENGAGEMENT OFF SOLOMONS SINKING OF THE CANBERRA (Recd. 7.5 p.m.) Rugby. Oct. 12. Allied losses in the Solomons naval battle in August were four cruisers, ihis was disclosed by the United States Navy Department. The communique says: “Certain phases of the Solomons Islands campaign, not announced previously for military reasons, can now be reported. Reconnaissance in June and July revealed enemy activity of much significance in the Japanese-controlled Solomons. An airfield was in the process of construction on Guadalcanar, and facilities at other nearbybases were being expanded rapidly. This expansion, together with increased activity in eastern New Guinea, clearly indicated that the enemy was attempting to establish and maintain control of air and sea in the Solomons area. The establishment of such control would put the Japanese in position to launch a seaborne invasion of Darwin and Australia, and would seriously have threatened our supply lines with Australia and New Zealand, as well as island bases in New Guinea and the Fiji Islands. "It was necessary, therefore, that these enemy designs be blocked by our capturing and utilising his key positions in the south-eastern Solomons. This was accomplished on August 7, when United States forces surprised and captured the Japanese positions on Guadalcanar and in the Tulagi area. Vigorous opposition was offered to the consolidation of our positions. Throughout August 7 and 8 enemy planes raided our shore positions, transports and fleet units, but these did not prevent the United States Marines from seizing most of the key positions on Guadalcanar and Tulagi by the afternoon of August 8. “Meanwhile additional troops, supplies and equipment were being unloaded from transports and supply sSps, and it was imperative that these operations should be successfully completed. To this end screening groups of Allied cruisers and destroyers were placed on both sides oi Savo Island. Additional screening forces were placed near the transports. Early on the morning of August 9 enemy aircraft dropped flares over our transports and supply ships. Simultaneously a force of enemy cruisers and destroyers skirted the south coast of Savo Island at high speed and headed in the direction of the transports and supply ships, which were silhouetted in illuminated areas. Rapidly the enemy sighted our covering unit, located to the southwest of Savo, and opened fire with guns and torpedoes, seriously damaging and setting fire to the Australian cruiser Canberra. Later it became necessary to abandon the Canberra. which sank the following morning. After a brief engagement with our south-eastern screen the Japanese altered course to proceed through the passage north-east of Savo Island. Here the Japanese force encountered our north-east screen of cruisers and destroyers, and a close-range battle resulted. The action was fought with guns and torpedoes, with the targets illuminated by searchlights and star-shells. The enemy fire was heavy and accurate, and the United States cruiser Vincennes was hit repeatedly and sank during the night. A third* cruiser, the Astoria, was badly damaged and burned during the night and sank the following morning. The cruiser Quincy was also lost. It has not been possible to determine the extent of the damage inflicted on the Japanese ships by our screening forces. The enemy withdrew to the north-west without attempting to attack our transports and supply ships. “Although the majority of the personnel were saved, there were still many casualties as a result of the sinking of the four Allied cruisers. The loss of these has now been offset by the appropriate reallocation of ships, which was made possible by new ship construction.”—B.O.W. (Recd. 10 p.m.) Washington, Oct. 12. The American heavy cruisers Vincennes. Quincy and Astoria, lost off the Solomons in August, each carried a crew of about 600. They were armed with eight-inch guns and carried four aircraft. All were launched before 1936 at a cost of 15,000,000 dollars each.