DUTCH ATTACK AIRFIELDS

Chronicle (Levin), 22 July 1947, Page 5

DUTCH ATTACK AIRFIELDS

Press Assn.

LACK OF NEWS ABOUT MILITARY OPERATION IN JAVA

By Telegraph

-Copyright

•a i " > i .-in "K^eiv^d" Tuesday; 11.30 a.m.' • BATAVIA; Juiy 22. A Dutch Government communique announces that Dutch aircraft today attacked airfields in Java and Sumatra. It says the attacks were launched because fighter aircraft of the Republican Army were held in readiness at these places. Neither population nor objectives without military importance had been attacked from the air. The communique added that no information of any importance can yet be given about the military operations which began last night. It is equally impossible to give the reaction of the Indonesian population.

A Dutch Army communique announces that the Republican burgomaster at Padang, West Sumatra, was killed yesterday by Indonesian troops just beyond the Padang i perimeter. The burgomaster, who 1 was named Aziz Dhan, was investigating violations of the truce at Kandis with two officers of the Dutch Army when they were attacked by a gang of six Indonesian soldiers. . The Dutch officers returned the fire. Aziz Dhan was seriously wounded: and. died en route to 'hospltaE Arfie'lDutch officers were both slightly wounded. A Dutch Army communique says that some squadrons of Mustang fighters took preventive measures against Republican aircraft and ground equipment. At Kalidjati a Japanese plane was shot at and set on fire, and hangars damaged. At Pagigi, near Serang, petrol tanks

i and workshops were destroyed. (During the action machine-guns, j rockets and soine light bombs were I used. Mirchell bombers fiew a reAnrara, t eporting than an InJogjakarta radio tonight stated diat Dutch warships off Banjuwangi, East Java, and Republican shore batteries opened fire this morning. The radio also said that Dutch artillery was shelling an Indonesian positjon south of Bandung, West Java." The radjo said that T!asikmalaya,: south-eastu of Bafid'ang, was attacked by two Dutch rocket-firing planes this afternoon. The Indonesian news agency at Antara, reporting than an Indonesian passenger train was machine-gunned by Dutch planes this -morning, said the train was the Jogjakarta-Malang express. The attack occurred at Sraden Solo, near Madiun, East Java. .