IN THE SOLOMONS

Evening Star, Issue 24334, 24 October 1942, Page 5

IN THE SOLOMONS

MINOR LAND ATTACK REPULSED ALLIES SCORE HEAVILY .IH THE AIR (Rec. 11.45 a.m.) WASHINGTON, October 23. A Navy Department communique says: On October 21 United States troops repulsed a small enemy force which attacked the western flank of our positions on Guadalcanal. Late in the morning seven enemy bombers, escorted by fighters, attacked Guadalcanal airfield. The anti-aircraft batteries destroyed one bomber and damaged two others, and our Grum-man-Wildcats intercepted and shot down six enemy fighters. Two of our fighters were lost Douglas Dauntless dive bombers attacked enemy positions on 'Russell Island, about 30 miles north-west of Guadalcanal, on October 22, in the early afternoon. Several groups of enemy planes attacked our airfield during _ bad weather. Grumnian-Wildcats intercepted and shot down one of these groups, consisting of five bombers. On the night of October 22 an enemy ship, believed to be a submarine, shelled Espiritu Santo Island. JAP FLEET ATTACKED CONCENTRATION IN NORTHERN SOLOMONS . POSSIBILITIES OF NAVAL ACTION (N.Z.P.A. Special Aust. Correspondent) SYDNEY, October 23. Australian-based medium bombers have made further attacks on the Japanese ileet in the northern Solomons. Early on Thursday morning, they dropped 10 tons of bombs on a number of ships dispersed in the wide roadstead between Buin and Faisi. Bad weather prevented observation of the results. Strong anti-aircraft fire and searchlight opposition -was encountered from enemv ships, but all our planes returned safely. The attack was made through heavy clouds. Aerial reconnaissance has revealed considerable enemy shipping around Rabaul, as well as in the northern Solomons waters. The Washington correspondent of the ‘ New York Times ’ emphasises that these aggregations of Japanese warships, auxiliaries, and transports are large. “ The transports' are unquestionably carrying troops scheduled to follow up the victory which tho Japanese hope to gain in a sea, action,” he says. “ The outcome of such action is apparently be- 1ing awai 1 T by the enemy troops on Guacfacanal before launching a major offensive against the United States positions. “ At the same time, the enemy uppers to hesitate _to enter a contest against the American Navy as long as weather conditions permit free operation of air forces, since American pilots .and planes, especially dive-bombers and torpedo planes, have demonstrated their decided superiority. Such-planes., however, require fairly high ceilings, and the rainy season now opening may ground these planes, after which the Japanese might be able to achieve momentary . superiority, in which event they will obviously try for a decisive engagement.” . The Australian Government had not been to send troops to the Solomons, stated the Minister for the Army, Mr Forde. If Australian troops were required there were more A.I.F. men available now than at any previous time since the beginning of the war. JAPS MUST RISK VITAL BATTLE LONDON, October 23. Mr R. W. ®obson, in a despatch to the 8’.8.C. from tho Pacific area, says that the Japanese cannot put the Americans out of the Solomons unless they put tho Americans out of the sea and air around the islands, and they cannot do that unless they risk a vital battle. “ They have not been game to take that risk yet,” Mr Robson adds, “ but I think they will.” FRANCE IN CHAINS GERMAN THREAT TO WORKERS LONDON, October 23. . German military authorities in Paris last night issued a warning that, if necessary, force will be used to get French workers to Germany, says the ‘ Daily Mail’s ’ correspondent on the French frontier. The warning followed the failure of many workers to report at designated stations for departure to Germany yesterday. Tho British United Press reports that Marshal Retain refused to broadcast a plea to French workers to go to Germany. SAVAGE MEASURES FIFTY WORKERS EXECUTED (Roc. 11 a.m.) LONDON, Oct. 23. Vichy announced that Laval reported to Cabinet regarding his appeal for French workers to go to Germany, and particularly stressed the necessity for the unoccupied zone participating in the scheme in the proportion of a quarter of the total number, in order that the burden might not be borne solely by the occupied /.one. The Independent French Agency states that 50 workers at the Citroen works in Paris were shot at the end of September for opposing the enrolment of French workers for Germany. The Independent Belgian Agency reports that the Germans hayfc taken into custody 760 Belgians, including pripst*. monks, and politicians, in Huy citadel. IN INDIAN OCEAN POWERFUL BRITISH FLEET (British Official Wireless.) (Hoc. 10 a.m.) IItJGBY. October 23. It was recently disclosed in London that a powerful battle fleet is operating in the Indian Ocean under Admiral Sir James Somerville. It includes the battleships Warspite, Royal Sovereign, and Resolution, and the modern aircraft carrier Illustrious. The fleet is presumably accompanied by a screen of cruisers, destroyers, and auxiliaries.’ The‘presence of a British battle fleet in the .Indian Ocean_ probably accounts for the reduced activity of the Japanese navy outside the Pacific after the* abortive attempt against Ceylon several months ago.