DUTCH INDIES

Wairarapa Times-Age, 12 May 1941, Page 6

DUTCH INDIES

ASSURANCE OF RESOLUTE DEFENCE AIR AND LAND FORCES PROVIDED WITH MODERN EQUIPMENT. By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright) (Received This Dav. 1.15 a.m.) BATAVIA. May 11. Some 300.000 Dutch. 1,500,000 Chinese and over 60,000,000 natives in the East Indies entered the second year of the war against Germany with solemn declarations to continue the fight with Britain until the aggresscr is defeated. The allegiance of natives to the Bri-tish-Dutch cause was demonstrated by

special services in all mosques throughout the East Indies. At Batavia’s chief mosque, the Regent of Batavia addressed 'the faithful, saying: "The East Indies will offer the strongest opposition if attacked, without consideration from which side the attack comes." Reviewing the strengthening of the East Indies defences, General J. Berenschet, Commander-in-Chicf of the Netherlands East Indies Army, said: “Our air force has received important reinforcements, thus increasing the safety of large towns against air attacks. Supplies of new aircraft are still coming forward. Our squadrons are patrolling the whole archipelago. These aircraft operate from bases well defended by infantry, whence they canrefuel and load bombs when required. Widespread fuel and ammunition dumps have been laid down and the army has been reinforced with men. arms and mechanised equipment and its mobility has been increased with armoured cars and hundreds of motor transport vehicles. In addition to the standing army, a second army, including town guards and country guards, is rapidly being formed. New fortifications in many places in the archipelago have greatly increased our defensive power."