LARGE-SCALE BATTLE

Evening Star, Issue 24283, 26 August 1942, Page 5

LARGE-SCALE BATTLE

Solomon Islands Theatre

American Naval and Air Successes

(British Official Wireless.) Press Association—By Telegraph—Copyright

(Received 10.20 a.m.) RUGBY, August 25. United States naval and air forces are engaged in a, largescale battle at sea in an attempt to repel a strong Japanese striking force which approached the south-eastern group of the Solomon Island from the north-east (it was announced in a United States Navy Department communique). The communique adds: It was expected that our occupation of the important enemy base at Tulngi would be countered by a violent attempt on the part of the enemy to recapture their shore bases in this area. This counter-attack has developed, and is now being met.

Preliminary reports indicate that the enemy* striking force has been attacked by American Army Plying Fortresses, and naval aircraft from an aircraft-carrier are in action. Army bombers attacked a large Japanese aircraft-carrier, and have reported four hits on her.

Planes from our aircraft-carrier have attacked and severely damaged the Japanese aircraft-carrier Ryuzio. Several enemy cruisers and a battleship have also bfien hit by planes from our aircraft-carrier.

During the afternoon of August 23 a strong enemy air attack on Guadalcanar Island was intercepted by our fighters, and at least 21 enemy aircraft wore brought down. Our losses in this action were minor.

On the night of August 23-24 enemy destroyers shelled our shore positions at Guadalcanar.

On August 24 American aircraft hit and damaged an enemy transport and a cruiser north of Guadalcanar and left both of them burning fiercely. The action continues.

OF VITAL IMPORTANCE

EFFECT OH DOMINION'S SECURITY

A Press Association correspondent at a South Pacific port says that the few cautious, but nope-producing official communiques which have been issued from Washington about the Solomon Islands operation should not encourage the peoples of the South Pacific countries to regard its as being cut and dried. The period of anxious suspense has by no means been ended. . The importance of the operation to New Zealand could not be plainer. From the almost impenetrable mist of silence imposed for security reasons which surrounds what is.now going on in the Solomons area there can finally emerge only one of two things. If the Allied naval forces prevail in the anticipated counter-offensive, New Zealand’s security from attack will be guaranteed for a long period. If they fail and have to devote many months to the recouping of their strength. New Zealand will be placed in an incontestably more dangerous position than she has ever been in.

WHAT FAILURE WOULD MEAN. Success for the Allies will •. mean that the base organisation for the next stage of the offensive against the Pacific enemy can be advanced over 1,000 miles from the present United States-Hawaii-Fiji-New Zealand line. Failure will mean that the base organisation will have to stand where it has been, and that the Fiji-New Zealand section will be in an almost inconceivably

worse position than it is in now. An Allied naval disaster in the Solomons area would, says the correspondent, undoubtedly precipitate an enemy onrush against New Caledonia and Fiji. If they go, New Zealand’s peril will be complete. The correspondent says 1 that this in plain terms is what the battle of the Solomons holds for New Zealand. The operation has a more direct importance for the Dominion than it has for Australia. The official communiques about the progress achieved give no ground for pessimism, but the peoples of the south Pacific should nevertheless understand what potentialities possible failure might hold for them. GROUNDS FOR OPTIMISM. Several weeks might' elapse before the naval issue in. the Solomons area is decided. The lack of action on the part of the Japanese since the capture of the south-eastern islands does not argue a lack of intention. Until the die is cast and the outcome is known, the present period of suspense must continue, but it should not be regarded as indicating that the Japanese have decided to avoid a naval test. Meanwhile, and, until the crucial time arrives, the correspondent considers that there should continue to be good grounds for watchful optimism. The land operations have apparently gone extremely well, although he believes that there is still daily fighting in the islands, and the naval forces have given a sufficient taste of their quality in battle to produce., the hope that, provided fortune is beneficent, the impending action will also go well. All eyes must, therefore, remain turned to the sea.