SITUATION IN THE SOLOMONS

Marlborough Express, Volume LXXVI, Issue 246, 19 October 1942, Page 5

SITUATION IN THE SOLOMONS

EVER-GROW1NG JAPANESE FORCES NO MAJOR LAND BATTLE YET P.A. Cable NEW YORK, October 17. The U.S. Navy Department reports : "Though large numbers of Japanese troops are known to be on Guadalcanar Island, there has been no f-ull-scale fighting. Our land, sea and air forces of the Army, Navy, and Marine Corps are engaged in meeting a serious enemy assault, the outcome of which 1s still undecided. Our losses have been minor, but in a battle of this nature losses must be expected." " Ever-growing Japanese liaval forces are closing in on Guadalcanar/' says the Washington correspondent of the New York Times. " Scant word has been received from the island, indicating that a lack of air and sea support has placed the American forces in a serious if not critical position. The Japanese bombing and artillery flre have apparently rendered Henderson airfield unsuable." The Japanese have made a fresh landing on the south coast of Guadalcanar, and are advancing over the mountains against the rear of the American positions.

LAND FORCES ABOUT EQUAL, "The American land strength is not known accurately, but recent reinforcements of men and tanks are bolstering the United States Marine s. One observer places the enemy land strength at 20,000, and says that the United States forces are about equal," the correspondent continues. "Though enemy ships were reported in the Solomons area three days ago, this is the second day in which aerial attacks on Japanese vessels have not been mentioned. The only possible conclusion is that the American air strength has been grounded by the destru-ction of iplanes or of the aerodrome's runways. "The Navy Department has not answered questions regarding the activities of the American naval units, and this means either that the navy is pursuing a -course which has not yet matured or that insufficient heavy ships are available to go to the aid of the ground troops. "If Henderson field is -unusable, the nearest air base is Espiritu Santo, in the New Hebrides, 500 miles distant, which is too far for the operation of fighters and dive-bombers. Another alternative is to send planes from earriers, but it is not known whether suffieient carrier strength is available.

CAPTURE OF AIRFIELDS CLAIMED. "A study of the reoent communiques indicates that the Japanese have mustered a force north of the Solomons in the last two months which was far greater than was expected by those who planned the M&rines' expedition against Guadalcanar. In spite of their losses of 40 ships and 265 planes, the Japanese have sent to Guadalcanar in the last few days forces which are rapidly assuming the proportions of a battle fleet. The defenders of Guadalcanar, aware of the force being sent there* again tried to ward it off with the air power at their disposal, but it was overwhelmed. "The Marines defending Guadalcanar captured 40 American-built 75 millimetre guns recently. It is believed the Japanese captured these guns in the Philippines." Tokio claims that the Japanese have recaptured two important airfields in the Solomons, according to Berlin radio. However, the f-Ienderon airfleld on Guadalcanar is stated here to be the only airfield in the American-occupied southern islands of the group. Asked at a press conference if he thought the American positions in the Solomons could be held, the Secretary of the Navy, Colonel Knox, replied: "I certainly hope so, and I expect so. I don't want to rpake predictions, but every man out there, afloat and ashore, will give a good account of himself." When a reporter asked if his statement: "I expect so" was a prediction, Colonel Knox replied: "Don't pin me down on a speoific word. There is nothing I cay say beyond the information in the communiques. There is a real fight on out there. Of course every American hopes we will win, but there is no concealing that we are in a stiff, tough fight, and the result has not yet been determined."