LARGE NUMBERS OF JAPANESE

Southland Times, Issue 24878, 19 October 1942, Page 5

LARGE NUMBERS OF JAPANESE

GUADALCANAR BATTLE (8.0.W.) RUGBY, October 17. The United States Navy Department states that although large numbers of Japanese troops are known to be on Guadalcanar there has been no full 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 is still undecided,” it states. “Our losses have been minor, but in a battle of this nature losses must be expected. The following details of action in recent days have been received: — “During an air attack on Guadalcanar after noon on October 12 three enemy bombers and five fighters were shot down. POSITIONS BOMBARDED “On Thursday night enemy surface vessels bombarded our positions on Guadalcanar for about an hour. Naval aircraft made a night torpedo attack on a group of enemy vessels eastward of the Solomons. A torpedo hit on an enemy cruiser was reported. On Friday morning our aircraft from Guadalcanar attacked an enemy position along the north-west coast of the island. Late in the afternoon Navy and Marine Corps dive-bombers attacked two enemy transports and their accompanying destroyers in the area west of New Georgia Island. Direct hits damaged and set fire to one transport and the second is believed to have been damaged by near misses. “All information regarding the Solomons which is not of value to the enemy is being announced as soon as possible after it is received.” “STIFF, TOUGH FIGHT” Colonel Knox’s Warning (Rec. 6.30 p.m.) WASHINGTON, Oct 16. Tokyo claims to have recaptured two important airfields in the Solomons, according to the Berlin radio. However, Henderson airfield, 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 American positions in the Solomons could be held, the Secretary of the Navy, Colonel Frank Knox, replied: “I certainly hope so. I expect so. I don’t want to make 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 specific word. There is nothing I can 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.” DIVIDED~COMMAND (Rec. 10.30 p.m.) NEW YORK, Oct. 17. The divided command would be largely to blame for any misfortunes suffered in the Solomons, the notoriously isolationist newspaper The New York Daily News has declared. “ViceAdmiral Ghormley is responsible to the Pacific Commander-in-Chief, Admiral Chester W. Nimitz, 3000 miles distant in Hawaii,” it says. “General MacArthur is reported to have felt that the logical Allied move was northward through and around New Guinea, cleaning out the Japanese from Lae, Salamaua and Rabaul by land, sea and air drives to solidify Australia’s northern barrier and flank the Japanese position in the Solomons. The Navy decided to attack the outer Solomons and their offensive, begun so encouragingly early in August, may have turned sour in the middle of October. It does not take professional soldiers to realize that this kind of war is best waged under a single command empowered to shift sea, land and air forces at any stage of the fight unhampered by rival commanders. Professional jealousy or Army and Navy etiquette.”