ACTION AVOIDED

Wairarapa Times-Age, 15 December 1941, Page 5

ACTION AVOIDED

BY JAPANESE BATTLE FLEET ENEMY TROOP SHIPS SUNK. FOUR THOUSAND SOLDIERS DROWNED. (By Telegraph—Press Association— Copyright) MANILA, December 12. Admiral Hart reports that the i Japanese battle fleet fled when the r United States fleet approached. One Japanese battleship was definitely bombed and put out of control. The Japanese fleet was sighted at a considerable distance off Manila. The enemy sheered off, avoiding battle. A Singapore communique states that during last night four enemy troopships were sunk off Patani by Netherlands submarines. The transports were steaming south fully loaded, about 70 miles south of the Thai border. According to the Batavia wireless, 4000 Japanese soldiers were drowned as a result of the sinking of the four troopships. The submarines which sank the troopships were operating under the orders of the British naval command. A Tokio communique claims that the Arizona was sunk off Hawaii in addition to two United States battleships already reported sunk. According to a Shanghai broadcast some wounded officers and men of the British gunboat Petrel, which was sunk by the Japanese, were picked up and taken to hospital.