STILL EXPANDING

Wairarapa Times-Age, 10 March 1943, Page 3

STILL EXPANDING

4 JAPANESE AIR STRENGTH IN THE SOUTH-WEST PACIFIC AN OFFICIAL WARNING. DANGERS OF UNWISE OPTIMISM. (By Telegraph—Press Association— Copyright) SYDNEY, March 9. Japanese air strength throughout the South-west Pacific is increasing. In spite of recent defeats and heavy losses, it is being steadily built up. This official warning was given today by a spokesman at General MacArthur’s headquarters. A statement on the position has been, made by the SouthWest Pacific Command. This is one of the few instances •when the command has permitted its name to be associated with a warning against the growth of Japanese air power. Such action seta the seal of military authority on earlier warnings by war correspondents that the margin of Allied air superiority in this theatre should be quantitatively increased to ensure that our forces will be able to prosecute a successful holding war against the Japanese. . The official headquarters statement reads: “Japanese air power, in this area at least, is certainly not on the wane; quite the contrary. “The Japanese air forces are increasing in strength here, notwithstanding past losses and defeats... The enemy's planes are good, and so are his flyers. Any disparaging discount of his air potential is not only incorrect but dangerous.” The spokesman today pointed out that on Sunday nine Japanese bombers and 15 fighters attacked Goodenough Island. Yesterday nine bombers and 13 fighters sank a small Aliled cargo vessel in Oro Bay, on the north coast of Papua. The enemy raiders were intercepted by our Lightning fighters, one medium bomber and one Zero being shot down. This statement comes a little more than a week after the dramatic communique announcement of growing enemy concentrations in the island arc north of Australia. It was then pointed out that the Japanese had been steadily building air-strips and supply bases along the semi-circular chain of islands. Don Caswell, American United Press correspondent at General MacArthur’s headquarters, says that enough enemy airfields have been built to accommodate 1500 planes—a staggering number, far outstripping Japan’s needs for perimeter defence. MET BY PATROLS SURVIVORS FROM ENEMY CONVOY. NEARLY ALL KILLED ON LANDING (Special Australian Correspondent.) SYDNEY, March 9. Almost 100 Japanese survivors from the smashed Bismarck Sea convoy reached the shore on the coasts of northern New Guinea and Goodenough Island. Fifty-five who came ashore in New Guinea were killed or taken prisoner by Allied patrols. Of the 42 who reached Goodenough Island, 34 were killed and three taken prisoner. Five escapees are being pursued. Correspondents comment on the great distance which the Japanese parties had drifted. Widespread Allied air activity was maintained yesterday, though most of the raids appear to have been on a small scale. Our bombers attacked Kaukenau and Bobo, in Dutch New Guinea, and Saumlaki, in the Tenimber Islands. Our Beaufighters strafed the Fuiloro (Timor) airfield, machinegunning 50 Japanese on the ground. MANY MORE PLANES NEEDED TO BLAST ENEMY OUT OF BASES. STATEMENT BY FEDERAL PREMIER. (Received This Day, 10.0 a.m.) CANBERRA, March 9. The Australian Government’s aim was put to the Allied leaders a case for increased air strength in the South-West Pacific, which would permit swift and massive blows at the enemy, said the Federal Prime Minister, Mr J. Curtin, last night. Stressing that such air strength did not yet exist, Mr Curtin said the Bismarck Sea victory was achieved by brilliant concentration rather than by overwhelming numerical superiority. The total weight of bombs used was 226 tons, as against 1,500 tons dropped on Essen in less than forty minutes. Cable messages from America and Britain, Mr Curtin added, indicated an inclination on the part of Press commentators to the view that the destruction of the Japanese convoy established the fact that overwhelming air superiority had been established north of Australia. The disclosure of the small forces used, however, put the Bismarck Sea victory in its correct perspective. When the South-West Pacific Command had to its disposal forces for concentrated bombing like the Essen raid, the task of blasting the Japanese out of their ring of northern bases would become immeasurably easibr.