APPEAL BY AUSTRALIA

Wairarapa Times-Age, 11 March 1943, Page 3

APPEAL BY AUSTRALIA

FOR INCREASE IN AIR FORCES IN SOUTH-WEST PACIFIC. STATEMENT BY FEDERAL PREMIER. CANBERRA, March 10. The Australian Government’s aim was to put to the ■ Allied leaders a case for increased air strength in the South-West Pacific area, which would permit swift and massive blows at the enemy, said the Prime Minister, Mr Curtin, tonight. The total weight of bombs used was 226 tons, as against 1500 tons dropped on Essen, in less than 40 minutes. Cable messages from America and Britain indicated an inclination on the part of Press commentators to think that the destruction of the Japanese convoy established the fact that overwhelming air superiority had been established north of Australia. Disclosure of the small forces used, however, put the Bismarck Sea victory in its correct perspective. When the South-West Pacific Command had at 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 easier. RAID ON WAU MADE BY STRONG ENEMY FORMATION. DAMAGE AND CASUALTIES LIGHT. (Special Australian Correspondent.) SYDNEY, March 10. Evidence of expanding Japanese airpower in the south-west Pacific was an attack yesterday by 47 enemy planes (26 bombers and 21 fighters) on the Allied aerodrome at Wau, in northern New Guinea. This is the greatest force mustered by the Japanese for a raid on New Guinea since last August. For the first time in many months the enemy in this theatre has held the initiative in the air for a single day. No Allied raids yesterday are reported in the latest communique from General MacArthur’s headquarters. Twenty-six twin-engined bombers flew over Wau aerodrome in tight V formation, and dropped their bombs in a single pass. No attempt was made at low-level bombing or strafing. Damage and casualties caused on the airfield are officially reported to be light. Last August the Japanese employed a bomber force of about equal size in a raid on Port Moresby. , The only other air activity reported in the South-West Pacific area yesterday was a splendid fight made by a single Flying Fortress which was intercepted by nine Zeros while reconnoitring over Gasmata, New Britain. Four of the enemy fighters were shot into the sea, and a fifth is also believed to have been destroyed. The Fortress returned to its base unharmed.