BALANCE-SHEET STRUCK

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 87, Issue 62, 16 March 1943, Page 5

BALANCE-SHEET STRUCK

BISMARCK SEA BATTLE

Recd. 1 a.m. Canberra. March 15. The Bismarck Sea battle cost Australia £1,577,000 in equipment and material, compared with Japan’s loss of £10,000.000, exclusive of 15,000 soldiers who went down with the convoy.

These figures were given by Mr. J. Curtin in a nation-wide broadcast tonight when launching the third Libertv Loan of £100,000.000.

The* Service departments concerned had been asked to make estimates of the cost of the battle, and these told me stark graphic story of the cost to Australia, said the Prime Minister. The routine cost of squadrons during the period of operations, plus repairs to aircraft damaged by enemy and the general overhaul of all planes, accounted for £1,377,000. bombs and ammunition cost £35 000, three fighters and a bomber lost took £123.000, and aviation fuel used up £42,000.

Dividends that the money paid were:—(l> The enemy was robbed of the initiative in the strategy he had planned; (2) and the enemy force was destroyed which, once landed, would have cost many valuable lives and mii'ions of pounds io dig out and defeat; (3) The enemy’s shipping and air strength suffered serious deprecia-

That reverse was only one ot the may blow that must be struck at the enemy before the United Nations could gather the strength necessary for the final crushing blow at the [heart of Japan, said Mr Curtin