STIFF FIGHT

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 20918, 19 October 1942, Page 5

STIFF FIGHT

SOLOMONS BATTLE victorF HOPES BIG JAPANESE THROW BATTLESHIPS risked (By Telegraph—'Press Assn.—Copyright.) (.2.40 pjn.) . ..WASHINGTON, Oct. 16. * A stiff fight'is going on in the SolciTioits. but the result is still undetermined. . Ihe.-.-Secre/tary ol.the ..Navy Colonel.!?.. Knox. told, a press conference. adding that he expected an American victory. Colonel Knox said they were giving the news just as fast as they could. A' Navy Department communique 1 reports the following additional details of the action in the Solomons on recent days:— / v - ; , . ; _ “On Wednesday morning our planes damaged nine enemy planes , on. the beach at Rekata Bay. The same afternoon Navy and Marine divebombers, with a fighter escort from Guadalcanal:. made two attacks on enemy transports approaching the island. Minor damage is reported. One United States fighter was lost. “On Wednesday night our positions were shelled by enemy vessels northwards of the island. Our motor torpedo-ships attacked the ships, reporting a probable torpedo hit on a cruiser. • “A large group of enemy ships has been observed in the Buin-Fais area, near Shortland Island in addition to various units in the south-eastern Solomons.”... “ISsues fateful for all belligerents, particularly for .Australia and New . Zealand, • are, being decided on and around ihe shores of Guadalcanal' Island,” declares the Sydney Morning Herald in an editorial. i Big Losses Accepted Factual news of .the fighting remains scantvN There is ho doubt, however, that-the enemy, is; prepared to accept tremendous losses to. repossess the island’s vital aerodrome. This airfield is generally accepted as the key to the whole situation in the Solomons and Allied positions in the other south-eastern islands of the group would soon become untenable if the .Japanese should succeed in their nrirparv objective. “Tha outcoirie of the swaying battle may depend, on .whether, the Americans can retain the airfield as an effective fighter and bomber base,” says the London Daily Express.’ naval corresnondent. “Bombardment • .oj the-airfield by Japanese planes and warships in an attempt to smash American air resistance is suggested bv some commentators to carry the implication-that the,,. enemy; now controls the-'waters along the beach held bv the United States land forces. This imDlication is further, strengthened by the | latest, news that-the-Japanese have been able to land tanks, and artillery.- "The erferriy has obviously thrown ..a great. concentration of sea. air \ and ground strength into the struggle.” . V “The enemy is trying to eleminate ‘ the)Allied flank threat to his southwest Pacific positions, whatever the cost-” declares the Sydney Morning Herald’s military correspondent. “Thfey have even been prepared to hazard capital ships within the range of Allied land-based bombers. The Japanese must believe that they have a fair chance of securing results with the heavy forces, they .are risking in the -attack. Clearly they have subordinated their plans in other theatres, including New Guinea, to the concentration in the- Solomons. Offensive or Defensive? “It is not.yet clear, however, whether the .Japanese j n the latest attempt to retake the southern Solomons are pursuing, .priiiaarily offensive or defensive' strategy. .They may. be attempting to conserve their outermost gains or may want Guadalcanar back in order to strike further south through New Caledonia.” “ff the Americans succeed in holding; the south-eastern Solomons, their success will have valuable repercussions on- every other battleground and, on every other ocean,” says the London Evening News editorially. “There are no separate fronts in this wag and the swaying of one affects the balance of all. The Pacific has had, and is having a most vital and direct bearing on our fortunes. At the very outset it weakened our naval strength in the Mediterranean, enabling General Rommel to gather strength and drive us from Libya. It is a simple truth that the Japanese in the Pacific are striking blows for Herr Hitler as well -as themselves, and the Australians and Americans are fighting battles not only for themselves but ~ for Us.” The Tokio padio stated that the Japanese Captured a force of British. American and Dutch troops north of % BalikPapan, Borneo, which are supposedly to be the remnant which escaped during the original Japanese occupation. The figures of the total force are not revealed,//[Bfit.it. is stated that the Dutch numbered 66. The Tokio radio also said the Emperor, Hirohito, worshipped at the innermost sanctuary, of the : .Yasukini shrme, seeking “peaceful /repose for 15.021 newlyrdeified war -Heroes.”