BATTLE FOR SOLOMONS

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume 77, 17 October 1942, Page 3

BATTLE FOR SOLOMONS

i » Lillie by little Hu- v.-ii • •!' orrery j which for Iwo .mouths Inis hidden the events of the initial operations in the Solomon Islands ana is being lilted and we can now l.ogiii to visualize the 1 heavy losses whi'-h Had to he accepted to foil the Japanese move against t he vital wa lanes of the Southern ; Pacific. Newspaper correspondent', writing soon after the landing, spoke of tin* "terrific losses” incurred by the | United Nation* force, and it would now appear that there was very little exaggeration in their words. The losses in cruisers al-ne must have seriously incommoded the ojieru- j lions of consolidation, for transports running to the occupied islands would need effective measures for their safety. it may In* that this is one reason why the reinforcement of the original landing force appeared do* , laved, and it i>’ welcome news that . i the strength of the force in the area has been restored by the arrival of The Action Of August 9 1 Messages describing the engagement !iu which ilie four cruisers were sunk j show that the .Japanese made a deter- ; mined attack with the liojk? of reach--1 iug and destroying the transports and i cargo .ships from which the troops and j supplies were landed. There is eomc I surmising why the Japanese naval ! force, having gained <oine sucv<s in i dealing with the protecting screen of : cruisers.,did not pursue tlieir aj>par- ! out advantage, as the transports must. . ; have been only weakly t-vreeiied by j destroyers as the result of tin* sinking i of the cruisers. The reason for ibis , 1 : may not he known till afier the war. hut from whatever cause the Japanese i made off at high speed, a move that , proved greatly to the advantage <• f 1 i ihe operations. j The roooeupation of the strategic centres of the Solomons i- considered ' to have undoubtedly diiwganized ! Japanese plans in the South Pacific, I hut there is evidence that an attempt 1 ! to regain a fooling is getting under | way. The new naval action reported j today by the Naval Department in ! Washington may he an earnest of this next move. On the news at present available it did nor attain its full objective. though reinforcement* for the enemy forces on Guadalcanal were got through.