Evening star., 1942-03-13
Jops Stab Into Solomon Isles,
Menocing U. S.-AustroIio Line;
Aussies Bomb Gosmoto Airfie|d
Enemy Naval Forces
Are Sighted OFF
Tiny Buku Island
By the Associated Press.

By the Associated Press
MELBOURNE, March 13.-Ja-
pans most advanced invasion
spearhead, apparently blunted
momentarily on the Northeast
New Guinea coast, was reported
officially today to have stabbed
off at tangent into the Solomon
Islands in a new threat to the
supply line from the United
States and to the island bridge
toward New Zealand
The move was disclosed in an
Australian Air Force communique
which said a japanese naval force
was seen three days ago off Kessa
on tiny Buka Island, stepping stone
from New Britain to the Solomons
Smashing at the bases the jap
anese would need either for a thrust
against Australia or southeast along
the island chain, the R. A. A. F.
bombed the Japanese used airfield
at Gasmata, on New Britains south
coast, yesterday.
A communique said all our bombs
fell in the target area and columns
of smoke rose from the ground" 1t
added that japanese fighter planes
were beaten off. one was damaged
and the raiders returned safely with
their ammunition almost exhausted.
No Reports of Landing.
There was no definite indication
drhpfl1p 1onIoJ
Buka. but it was recalled that several
times earlier japanese planes have
secuted and bombed Bougainville
and other Solomon Islands stretch
Ing southeast toward the New
Eebrldes and New Zealand.
(The crew of a japanese sea-
plane was reported to have plant
ed the flag of the rising sun at
Kieta. capital of Bougainville,
January %, after the town was
deserted. There has been no
authoritative indication of other
attempts by the japanese to fol-
low up with landings in the Solo,
mons)
These possibilities were foreseen:
l. That the japanese strategy
might call for sweep southeast to-
ward New Zealand to establish a
screen of island bases between Aus
tralia and the United States before
attempting invasion of the Aus
tralian continent.
2. That the move was a feint un-
dertaken only to mask a developing
onslaught. probably from New
Guinea or Timor, directly against
the long bleak reaches of the north
or northwest coasts of Australia.
However, indications that the in
vaderS were making ready to use the
mountain-split, jungle-covered is
land of New Guinea as a big battle
base were seen from R. A. A. F. re-
connaissance reports that the Japa-
nese were working at top speed to
establish fighter plane stations along
the northeast coast, where they won
footholds at Lac and Salamaua.
Whatever plans the japanese
might have had for quickly-won
broader control of the island coast
were declared. however. to have been
disrupted by the hard aerial blows
of British and American bombers.
Natural Obstacles on Island.
The lack of communications on
the island and its virtually impass-
able stretches of escarpments and
jungle-tangled valleys also will play
a part in disrupting the japanese
timetable. No single road connects
the Japanese beachheads with
the bases of Australian forces in
key stations on the island.
The Australian radio, heard
by Columbia Broadcasting Sys-
tenn, said war correspondent OF
the Melbourne Argus reported
that Australian guerrilla forces
still were in action against the
japanese on the northeast coast
and we're carrying out valuable
operations
Observers said that even though
the japanese forces were campaign
toughened and Jungle trained, they
would find overland travel from the
northeast coast to the Papuan coast
at the south, across Torres Strait
from Cape York. harder task than
any they had faced in Malaga.
These sources pointed to the sue
(See AUSTRALIA, Page ABB