SORTIES IN PACIFIC

Southland Times, Issue 24831, 25 August 1942, Page 5

SORTIES IN PACIFIC

APPROVAL GIVEN BY EXPERTS (Special Australian Correspondent, N.Z.P.A.) (Rec. 8.20 p.m.) SYDNEY, Aug. 24. Allied commando operations against the Japanese Pacific outposts are very much worthwhile. Military commentators in Australia believe that such hit and run sorties as the American raid on Makin, in the Gilbert Islands, must be an integral part of the Allies’ Pacific strategy. These would have the effect of dispersing Japanese strength, especially air power, giving greater freedom of action to our forces engaged in major occupying operations. Such raids would also tie down for defence purposes Japanese forces which might otherwise be concentrated for spearpoint attacks. Japan’s policy has been to dispose her strength around the perimeter of her conquests, believing that the enemy naval forces cannot penetrate deeply into the Japanese-held zone. This means they must control a defence line ,8000 miles along an arc from Malaya to the Marianne Islands. “There must be many islands where raids can be undertaken with a reasonable hope of success, where Allied naval craft have a fair chance against enemy land-based aeroplanes and local garrisons,” says The Sydney Morning Herald’s military correspondent. SURPRISE POSSIBLE “The Makin raid also shows that an element of surprise is possible, even in areas where an aerial reconnaissance of sea routes might be expected,” he continues. “The attack on Makin was singularly audacious in view of the possibility of heavy aerial interception from Jaluit, only 300 miles away in the Marshalls.” Military experts point out that apart from the damage inflicted in specific raids, the ever present possibility of sudden attacks by Allied guerrilla forces must affect the morale of small isolated Japanese garrisons. The latest raid is seen as a pointer to the United Nations’ future course* of action in the Pacific. A series of such raids would prove a serious distraction to Japanese attempts to repulse major Allied offensives which began with attacks on the Solomons. The reported concentrations of enemy shipping at Rabaul may indicate that Japan is about to launch her .expected major drive against the American forces in the Tulagi area, although some observers suggest that the concentration is intended for a counter-blow against Port Moresby. JAPANESE IN NEW GUINEA

“The Japanese losses in the Solomons have done little to weaken their hold on the islands north cf Australia” says The Daily Telegraph’s war correspondent. “They have been strengthening their positions on the New Guinea mainland, where they appear to be firmly entrenched.” The same correspondent forsees the possibility that the Allies may forestall any Japanese move by an early direct attack on Rabaul. Significance is attached here to the arrival in America of Lieutenant-General George H. Brett, Commander of the Allied Air Forces in the South-West Pacific, and AirCommodore R. V. Goddard, Chief of the New Zealand Air Staff. Land-based aircraft are admitted to have nlayed a vital role in the early stages of the Solomons offensive and it is hoped that the joint consultations between the American authorities and the two South-West Pacific air chiefs may result in an accentuated air offensive in this theatre.

HEAVY JAPANESE AIR LOSSES 13 PLANES SHOT DOWN OVER DARWIN (Special Australian Correspondent, N.Z.PA.) (Rec. 11.30 p.m.) SYDNEY, August 24. Allied fighters at Darwin on Sunday made a record bag of Japanese planes. Four heavy bombers and nine fighters were shot down in what an Allied headquarters communique describes as a “brilliant tactical interception.” A total of 29 raids on Darwin beginning on February 19 has cost the enemy 73 planes. These aircraft comprised 40 Zero fighters, 32 bombers and one other type. Despite the enemy’s advantage in manoeuvrability and ceiling experienced Kittyhawk pilots have evidently perfected the technique of dealing with the high-flying Japanese Zero. Sunday’s raid followed a 24 days’ lull. Darwin was last attacked on July 30 by 27 heavy bombers and 22 fighters. On that occasion the Darwin fighter force shot down nine enemy planes for the loss of one Allied plane. The latest raid was made at noon and was anticipated by Darwin’s defenders. Our fighters intercepted the enemy over the sea as they approached from the west. In the first sudden attack three bombers were seen to leave the formation and jettison their bombs and it was obvious they would be unable to reach their base. Watchers on the land could also see Zeros spiralling down, trailing smoke as they fell. The remaining 24 bombers drove on to the target area, but a war correspondent describes their attack as “more panic bombing than pattern bombing.” Some bush fires were started by incendiaries and high explosives, but the service damage was negligible. FIGHT AT GREAT HEIGHT The Allied patrols used oxygen in the rarified atmosphere in which the fighting occurred. The Japanese were evidently determined to make full use of their superior ceiling, but the defenders caught them napping. An American pilot states that he saw a Japanese airman bail out of his machine, an unprecedented happening over enemy territory. However, when he flew past the parachute there was no one in it.

In raids on Darwin the enemy has employed 335 heavy bombers, 54 divebombers and 179 fighters. Thus the losses average about 12 per cent, of the attacking forces. The bombs dropped in the area are estimated to exceed 700,0001 b weight. Service casualties are described as “ridiculously few” and damage to service installations has not silenced a single battery or gunpost, put any part of the communications system out of action of prevented any aerodrome from operating. Damage to civilian property has been estimated at £26,000. In dogfights with the Japanese only 17 Kittyhawks of the Darwin fighter force have been lost. From this area many bombing attacks have been made on enemy-occupied territory and the fact that the aerodrome was the -target of Sunday’s raid is significant. After the long lull it was generally felt that Darwin was overdue for a raid by the Japanese, who arrived, according to the local prophets, a day later than they were expected.

AMERICAN CONVOY— Another big convoy carrying thousands of American soldiers and airmen has arrived in Northern Ireland. (London).