TIMOR ISLAND

Wairarapa Times-Age, 19 June 1942, Page 4

TIMOR ISLAND

IMPORTANCE TO ENEMY. BASE FOR ATTACK ON DARWIN. SYDNEY, June 3. The lull after the Coral Sea battle may be nearing an end, says the New York correspondent of the “Sydney Daily Telegraph,” who quotes an article by Major Fielding Eliot. Major Eliot, New York “HeraldTribune” military writer, states: “The waters and islands north and northeast of Australia may again be the scene of large operations. This is suggested by the renewal of Allied attacks on Timor and Japanese attacks on Moresby. “Timor is the logical base for any Japanese attack on Darwin, and the Japanese may now be preparing an effort in that direction. It is hardly likely that Darwin could yet be used as an offensive base by the United Nations. A Japanese attack on Darwin in force would be an offensive, and not a preventive, measure at this time. “Its object would be to establish a bridgehead on Australian soil, widening this as much as possible to permit establishment of air bases for bombing raids against other Australian centres. “It might be possible to throw forward air-borne forces from Darwin to seize and hold temporarily flying fields in the vast Australian interior, from which vital centres in the south and south-east could be reached. “The Japanese could hardly hope to maintain themselves long at such outposts, but they could do a good deal of damage. Moreover, they would have some moral value by enabling Axis propaganda to proclaim loudly that the invasion of Australia had begun. “It is quite true that no serious invasion of Australia could be conducted from Darwin. But an actual landing would have a depressing effect in China, India and the Middle East. _ “Moresby has long been recognised as a possible Japanese objective. It would be of value to the Japanese as an air base for attacks on towns and cities of North Queensland, and for • raiders striking down the Australian . coast inside the Barrier Reef.”