INTER-ISLAND FIGHTING

Southland Times, Issue 24825, 18 August 1942, Page 5

INTER-ISLAND FIGHTING

NEW PERIOD OPENED (Rec. 7.35 p.m.) WASHINGTON, August 16.

The Associated Press of America says the Navy’s developing conquest of the south-eastern Solomons is regarded in official quarters here as opening a new period in inter-island fighting over the supply lines in the Western Pacific. This will involve not only further American assaults on enemy held islands, but probably a continuation of Japanese efforts to win a position from which American communications can be severely harrassed. The immediate purpose of the Solomons action is described as twofold:—

(1) To secure the American supply line to Australia and New Zealand against Japanese offensive thrusts. (2) To provide an advance base directly menacing enemy operations . in centres to the north-westward.

Thus both military and naval authorities assign onlw limited objectives to the Solomons offensive, indicating that the big-push for victory in the Pacific has not yet started. Meanwhile, the Navy continues to maintain an official silence regarding the progress of operations in the Solomons. VALUE OF BASES The New York World Telegram correspondent says: “If we win the battle for the Solomons it will postpone or even prevent the invasion of Australia. The fact that the Japanese are throwing in such large reinforcements instead of retreating towards their shorter South Pacific defence line is the best proof of the value of the network of bases in the Tulagi area.” Hanson Baldwin, The New York Times military writer, says: “An Allied victory in the Solomons could not in any sense be decisive. A great strategical offensive based on New Zealand, Australia and the contiguous islands directed against Japan might require years to complete.” Byron Darnton, The New York Times correspondent in Australia, says: “The Solomons attack is the first real trial of the island hopping method of fighting by the Allies in the Pacific. It should provide an answer to the question of whether that method is the right one.”

Admitting the United States landings in the Solomons the Tokyo paper Asahi Shimbun is reported to say that the attacks are part of a big American four-pronged offensive against Japan from the Aleutians, Australia and China and from aircraft-carriers. The paper adds: “An attack from China is the only feasible one at present.”

“ONE-ARMED” SUTTON CAPTURED

(Rec. 11.55 p.m.) LONDON, August 16. Major-General F. A. Sutton, known as “One-Armed” Sutton, is reported to have been captured after the fall of Hong Kong, says The Daily Mail’s Bombay corerspondent. A soldier of fortune, he supplied munitions to Chang Tso-lin in 1920. He returned to China in 1938 to help against Japan. The Japanese hunted him for years. Major-General Sutton lost his right hand at Gallipoli.