VITAL BASE TO ALLIES

Southland Times, Issue 24824, 17 August 1942, Page 5

VITAL BASE TO ALLIES

IMPORTANCE OF SOLOMONS

(Rec. 9 p.m.) LONDON, Aug. 15. ■ The Solomon Islands battle is regarded in London as a limited operation of the highest importance. Victory—which is regarded with some confidence —would mean that the Americans could establish important airfields and bases which would be an insurance of the safety of Australia and New Zealand and a base for the start of a further attack against the Japanese in New Guinea and Java and then other occupied territories. The Manchester Guardian in a leading article says: It is possible that the Japanese, finding their hold round Tulagi endangered, will bring naval and air forces from strongholds in the Caroline and Marshall Islands to dispute command of the sea. This first Allied “offensive” against Japan is greatly encouraging. Our task, as soon as possible, is to move against Japan simultaneously at. several vulnerable points which she offers. Except in a small area of the Solomons (and a still smaller area of New Guinea) she is not having to fight hard anywhere at present, but her military effort is distributed over distances so vast that she cannot easily transfer her weight from one area to another. If we are to strain her resources until they crack we have to attack her in Burma, from India, in the Bay of Bengal, in China, in the Aleutian Islands, and from the air in her home islands. The Tulagi operation may not be large in itself, but the moral of a clearcut, unquestionable success in the Pacific would be everywhere understood as clearly as a similar success in Europe or Africa, could we but gain it. CONVOY ATTACKED A South-West Pacific communique states that Allied heavy bombers attacked a small escorted convoy off New Britain, but dull weather hindered observation of results. Six Zero fighters tried to intercept. Two were shot down and three were damaged. Our formation received slight damage and minor casualties, but all the aircraft returned to their base. At Kokoda our forward elements were engaged in a series of minor clashes with the enemy. There was reconnaissance activity only in the northwest sector. ENEMY SHIPPING MOVEMENTS Coupled with the renewed enemy land activity in Papua has been growing evidence of increased Japanese shipping movements to the north of Australia. For five successive days Allied Flying Fortresses and medium bombers have hammered enemy shipping, either on the move or in occupied harbours. While the outcome of this air and sea duel is not yet clear some observers see in these shipping movements the possibility of a new enemy aggressive move made to relieve the strain on their positions in the Solomon Islands. Significance is attached to the sudden transfer of Allied bombing raids from key enemy airfields to shipping in harbours and sea lanes. However, observers offer so opinion on the likely destination of these Japanese transports with their accompanying warships. Reports that warships are escorting supply vessels to the Solomons indicate that the United States Navy controls the sea lanes from Australia to New Zealand and is able to move up reinforcements as required. Raids by Allied aircraft on Japanese troops and installations south-east of Timor following earlier attacks on enemy shipping in the same area are held to support the view that the enemy has been preparing *or an early counter-thrust to relieve pressure on the Solomons.