GIVEN THE LIE

Wairarapa Times-Age, 6 February 1943, Page 3

GIVEN THE LIE

JAPANESE ALLEGATIONS OF BIG SEA BATTLES IN SOLOMONS SPORADIC ENGAGEMENTS CONTINUING. NEW AMERICAN ADVANCE MADE ON GUADALCANAL. LONDON, February 5. The United States Navy Department has again given the lie to Japanese stories of big sea battles in.’ the Solomons. It states that sporadic sea and air ’engagements are still going on. On Guadalcanal American. troops have made a new advance against the enemy forces at the north-eastern cornel’ of the island. American aircraft have again raided the Japanese airfield at Munda, in New Georgia Island. VEIL OF MYSTERY ADVERSARIES FEINTING AND PARRYING. HISTORY-MAKING BATTLE POSSIBLE. (By Telegraph—Press Association— Copyright) NEW YORK, February 4. Veiled in mystery, the great struggle for the mastery of I the Solomon?, is continuing with Japanese and American adversaries feinting and parrying for advantageous positions in what may become a history-making battle, says the “New York Times” Washington correspondent. , High naval officers have readily conceded that any of the sharp encounters now proceeding throughout the island area may become the focus of a battle whose impact on the Pacific war could be tremendous. The Navy is apparently in possession of the full facts, but is maintaining an unbreakable reticence, refusing to give Tokio details of losses or victories or indications as to future moves. Officers point out that while a battle is constantly looming it might fizzle out through Japanese withdrawal. It is not denied that some surface and air clashes have been violent. Japanese persistence is clearly recognised and even if the present actions close without a decisive battle, it is felt that the enemy will continue ar unceasing drive to recapture the Solomons and partially erase the loss of face suffered m the great sea battle in November. Admiral Yates Stirling, United Press nava analyst, thinks the American public should prepare for possible bad news. ‘The fact that the Navy is withholding all information of Solomons .engagements i: ominous,” he says,. “The only news which could be of great value to the Japanese would be news of American losses.. We are outnumbered in the present battle are?., particularly in aircraft carriers.. If the Japanese choose to risk them 'they possess a clear preponderance of capital ships. If the Navy follows precedent the results will not |be announced till the Japanese have left the area. Losses are not stated till they are replaced.’ POWERFUL AIR ATTACKS ON MANY JAPANESE BASES. ENEMY SHIP DRIVEN ASHORE. (Special Australian Correspondent.) SYDNEY, February 5. Allied bombers have again heavily raided Japanese airfields in New Britain and the northern Solomons. The object of the raids is to prevent enemy planes from using these bases in the battle for the Solomons. For the sixth successive night Rabaul was the main objective of these attacks. Lakunai aerodrome was the target for the latest raid. Buin, on Bougainville Island, was bombed by Catalinas over a period of three hours in a second successive night attack on this northern Solomons base. Despite stiong anti-aircraft fire, our planes started three fires among petrol and ammunition dumps. Grounded aircraft are believed to have been destroyed. The Gasmata and Cape Gloucester aerodromes were each raided twice on Friday, Liberators and Fortresses taking part m the attacks. At Arawe, west of Gasmata, a Liberator struck at a 1000-ton enemy cargo ship. The vessel had been heavily camouflaged with palms to make it look like a small island. After a direct hit astern as well as a near miss the vessel was observed on a reef and listing. In New Guinea the important enemy base of Lae was twice raided by Havoc attack planes and Mitchell medium bombers. Fires were started on the aerodrome and a number of enemy aircraft are believed to have been destroyed. In the nearby Mubo Wau area Havocs are making continued efforts to pin down the Japanese forces in their positions south-west of Wau. Further ground patrol clashes are reported. These are scattered over a wide area. While the position around Wau is now static, heavier fighting may begin at any time. North of Australia Hudson bombers on Friday attacked a village on Matkusi Island, in the Tenimber Group. MANY ENEMY SHIPS ASSEMBLED IN NORTHERN SOLOMONS. MAJOR BATTLE NOT YET BEGUN. (Received This Day, 12.15 p.m.) NEW YORK, February 5. From thirty to forty Japanese ships have been in Shortland Harbour, in the Northern Solomons, writes an American Associated Press war correspondent, in a delayed despatch from Guadalcanal. These were additional to sixty enemy warships previously reported in the harbour at Rabaul, New Britain. Aerial observers reported on February 1 that a large force of Japanese warships was headed towards Guadalcanal. During the afternoon, heavy forces of enemy bombers, escorted by swarms of Zero fighters, bombed Savo and American shipping around Guadalcanal. United States fighters shot down twelve Zeros. Despite confusing reports, it is thought that no major naval battle has yet occurred in the Solomons, and that the skirmishing and jockeying for position previously reported continue. Several commentators have warned Americans to be prepared for possible bad news. “The busy little Japanese are coming back again in the Solomons,” says the New York “Daily Mirror” editorially. “It would be foolhardy to blink the fact that Japan still holds the upper hand in the Pacific. Japan still retains the edge in naval strength, despite the loss of 57 ships in the Solomons area. It is salutary to keep these facts before the eyes of the American people, because of the longstanding official tendency to underrate the Japanese.” Stronger opposition by Japanese ground forces on Guadalcanal is reported in another delayed despatch from the island. After being routed for ten days, the Japanese on February 1 made a determined stand on the Bonwei River, four miles along the coast north-westward from Kokumbona. These enemy troops are reported to be in better physical condition and better armed than those previously met.