PACIFIC BASES

Wairarapa Times-Age, 21 May 1942, Page 3

PACIFIC BASES

JAPANESE AIR ATTACKS ON PORT MORESBY

GROWING IN WEIGHT & INTENSITY

NEED OF VIGOROUS ALLIED ACTION. EMPHASISED IN AUSTRALIA. (Special Australian Correspondent.) SYDNEY, May 20. “No combat activity occurred in the south-west Pacific Avar zone yesterday, and Allied operations were limited to reconnaissance,” states the thirty-third communique issued by General MacArthur’s headquarters. This is the second “all quiet” report during the past week, but the other daily communiques recounted that the air war over New Guinea was continuing with undiminished intensity. As well as lighters of the German 109 Messerschmitt type, the Japanese are now using a new 99-type heavy army bomber, a long-nosed machine which is stated to be a reply to America’s Flying Fortress. The American fighter pilots, however, do not regard Japan’s latest bomber as comparable with the Fortress. A raid this week, when 16 of the new enemy bombers flew in tight formation, resulted in the Allied fighters shooting down two without loss to themselves.

Port Moresby now has had 52 raids. The first raid was made on February 3, and the latest raid, employing 34 heavy bombers with an escort of 15 Zero fighters, when more than 200 bombs were dropped, was the heaviest attack yet made on this, the principal outpost of Australian defence. Most of the bombs dropped were of the antipersonnel' “daisy-cutter” variety, but the damage was light, and there was only one Service casualty. • Military commentators continue to emphasise that the growing weight of the enemy’s air attacks against Port Moresby is an expression of his determination to remove this flanking menace before continuing the southward aggression. Newspapers editorially stress the need for still more men, guns, ships and planes in the south-west Pacific.

“Japan is mobilising sea, land and air power close to the United StatesAustralia supply route,” states the “Daily Telegraph.” “That done, she will turn on us. With what we have and what America sent us we would fight hard—but it would be a desperate, defensive fight.” The fact that Australia and New Zealand are the only south-west Pacific bases from which Japan can be attacked is also emphasised. “If, now that the Allies have deliberately chosen Australasia as their south-west Pacific base (there is none other left), Australia should be eliminated then the war in the Pacific may be lost,” says the “Sydney Morning Herald” in an editorial. “There are no grounds for pessimism however. We are vastly stronger than we were three months ago.” The growing realisation in Britain of the importance of the Pacific theatre of war is also favourably commented upon. The declaration by Mr Attlee that Australia must be reinforced “comes as a proof of the indissolubility of the ties of Empire and the glory of the cause for which it and the Allies stand,” says the Sydney “Sun.” OFFICIAL WARNINGS AGAINST FALSE SENSE OF SECURITY. CONSTRUCTION OF SHELTERS IN SYDNEY. (Special Australian Correspondent.) SYDNEY, May 20. While Australia has modified the “brown-out” restrictions, repeated official warnings have been issued that these modifications must not be permitted to give rise to any false sense of security. The public has been instructed to make complete blackout arrangements and early tests will be held. Large signs pointing the direction to the nearest air raid shelter are now 'being placed in all Sydney streets. New surface shelters to accommodate 50 people are being built here. The design is based on English raid experience. The shelters are stated to give to bomb shocks, instead of shattering under the blast. A bed of 3in. of concrete is put down on the road, surface, and a bituminous felt course is laid on this. The top is tied to the sides and the sides to the floor. This type of shelter, of which several hundreds are to be erected, is said to move with the blast. Air raid and fire fighting equipment worth £75,000 is expected to arrive in Australia soon from America and England. This was announced by the Federal Minister for Home Security, Mr Lazzarini. Australian manufacturers have already provided a considerable amount of such equipment. The cost of Sydney’s extensive raid warning alarm system, now being completed, is stated to be £50,000. The alarms are of the motor siren and loudspeaker types.