"Flying Battleships" for Port Moresby Development

Port Moresby Development of Defence Plan

IT was announced at the end of May that the Australian air force, whicn is to be stationed in Port Moresby, will be one of major importance.

An undisclosed number of highly arm ed. lour-engined, Short Sunderland fly ing boats will arrive in Australia from Britain within a few months to be used for reconnaissance purposes off the coast of Australia. They will be at tached to No. 10 Squadron (which has been formed for purposes of general re connaissance) and which squadron will be divided between the new bases, which are being prepared at Lake Macquarie (between Sydney and Newcastle, on the eastern coast of Australia), and at Port Moresby, in Papua.

Each of these new flying boats will carry a crew of seven, and they will be the largest aeroplanes in the service of the Royal Australian Air Force, as well as being the only four-engined ma chines. The Sunderland is the military equivalent of the new Empire flying boat. It has a wing span of 109 feet, and a loaded weight of nearly 20 tons, and it can carry 30 or 40 men over short distances. The Sunderland has been called “The Flying Battleship”.

There appears to be considerable ac tivity in preparing and organising this new and important air force, which is to be the eyes and the ears of the Australian defence organisation; but all the more intimate details, including the number of flying boats to be used, are —very properly—being kept an official secret.

Aeroplane Mishap

AN R.A.A.F. Seagull amphibian, in charge of Flight Lieutenant W. M.

Gibson, with a crew of four, arrived in Port Moresby on May 21, from Aus tralia, to assist in the naval survey of Port Moresby and district which is being carried out under the direction of Lieut.-Commander Hunt, R.A.N., who ar rived by the “Macdhui” on the same day.

The machine, which was moored in the harbour, opposite the R.A.A. camp, at Konedobu, broke her moorings on May 25. during a heavy south-east squall and, drifting on to the reef off Tatana Is land, was badly damaged.

Another R.A.A.F. Seagull amphibian arrived on May 30 to take the place of the damaged machine.

“Annex And Amalgamate!”

TWO members of the Victorian Parlia ment, Dr. Clive Shields and Mr. A.

J. Kir ton, on returning to Sydney from New Guinea and Papua, late in May, expressed a number of emphatic opinions in the newspapers.

They urged that New Guinea should be annexed by Australia; that a strong defence line stretching from the Dutch East Indies through the New Guinea islands to the Solomons should be es tablished: that a base for a central air, navy and mobile military force should be made at Samarai; and that radio stations and landing grounds should be made available wherever necessary. They argued that with this defence organisa tion Australia would provide a barrier which would oppose and delay any enemy approaching from Asia.

Dr. Shields urged that a non-voting member should be elected to the Com monwealth Parliament, to represent the

interests of “the amalgamated territor ies of New Guinea and Papua”. He roundly condemned the failure of the New Guinea Government to encourage settlement in the Territory. He also said that the majority of opinions heard by the travellers in the two Territories were in favour of complete amalgamation of the two Territories.

Activity At Port Moresby

From Our Own Correspondent

Pt. Moresby, May 20.

MEMBERS of the 13th Heavy Battery, Royal Australian Artillery, now stationed at Port Moresby, have put in the foundations for their guns, on Paga Hill, since their arrival, and a great deal of heavy equipment has been trans ported to the site.

It is understood that a party of naval men will make a survey of the port in regard to Navy requirements.

Nothing definite has been heard about the further activities of the Air Force, but rumours state that negotiations are proceeding for the acquisition of a site on the harbour foreshore for a seaplane base.

The Lieut.-Governor. on May 11, in spected the various military works which had been carried out during his recent absence on furlough.

A public meeting on May 11. arranged by Major Chalmers (in command of the Battery), took steps to form a Militia Unit for Port Moresby, to co-operate with the garrison and the civilian population.

Judge Gore presided. A committee com prising Messrs. W. D. Brown. G. Moore.

F. E. Williams and E. J. Frame, was formed to assist the project. Major Chal mers asked those prepared to join the unit to hand in their names, and 39 names were submitted.