Solomons battle rages yet with increased fury.

Taranaki Daily News, 28 August 1942, Page 3

Solomons battle rages yet with increased fury.

Special Australian Correspondent.

Rec. 11.50 p.m. bydney, Aug. &i. A major setback for the Japanese navy within the next few days could reduce enemy set power to 3 point where it might not again be able to challenge the American fieet, whose strength is rapidly increasing. This is the opinion among Australian observers, but a London report that "Japan has already lost naval supremacy in the south-west Pacific" is regarded as premature. Pictures of the fighting are far from complete, but American naval communiaues are known to be ultra-conservative, and the latest statement that "results of the fight so far are encouraging" is accepted as giving good grounds for optimism. American observers report that the sea and air battle is apparently raging with increased fury, despite the withdrawal of one Japanese force. Heavy enemy units are thought to be still in the battle, which so far has served to confirm again the superiority of landbased aircraft in such operations as this. The advantage lies strongly with the Allies. Aerial forces alone were used in the battle engagement up till Monday, except for one destroyer attack against shore targets. May Come to Grips. However, observers believe the Japanese fieet may now come to , close grips with the American fleet for the first time since the Pacific war began. It is pointed out that Janan needs desperatelv to regain the initiative. She is thus likely to accept the issue, sought and provoked by the Allies. before American consolidation of the southern Solomons is completed. Once the Allies have established numbers of airfields in the area Japan's chances of retaking the islands will have dwindled to vanishing point. The American forces in the Solomons are stated to be using Bucaneer and Helldiver dive-bombers and Avenger torp"^"-

bombers against the Japanese ships. American predictions are that the enemv losses will bc at least equal to those off j Midway. Arthur Hale, radio news analyst, says the Allies have regained the Pacific naval superiority they lost at" Pearl Harbour. "But before we can say the Pacific is ours," he adds, "we must smash the Japanese fleet in its home waters." New Guinea Landing. Opinion here that Japan still has great Btrength in the south-west Pacific is sharply underlined by the latest enemy New Guinea landing. "We should not believe that a powerful, persistent enemy will tamely allow reverses in the Solomons to discourage him from further advances in the Eouth Seas," says the Sydney Sun in an editorial article. "He still has his forward bases in the archipelago and on New Guinea itself. The latest landing proves his intention to increase their number and so encircle our one outpost in this region, Port Moresby." Pointing out that the enemy can speedily and powerfully reinforce his sea, air and land forces from bases in the Marshall and Carolines. Island^, the Sun adds: "If we may look upon the last fortnight's success as the turn of the tide, the flood of Japanese conquest may sti'l send the spume of its heavier waves into channels closed to Australia and New j Zealand. Before full ebb many battles will have to be fought by land, sea and | air."