JAPANESE TROOPS REINFORCED

Wairarapa Times-Age, 15 December 1941, Page 6

JAPANESE TROOPS REINFORCED

Attacks cm Enemy Supply Lines

MORE BRITISH FIGHTING PLANES SENT

INTO ACTION

REASONS FOR ENEMY BOMBING OF PENANG

(By Telegraph. —Press Association. —Copyright.) (Received This Day, 10.30 a.m.) SINGAPORE, December 14.

Fighting in the Kedah area continues with unabated fuiy, and there is no doubt that a major battle is proceeding. British, Australian and Netherlands pilots are working in full co-opera-tion, strafing the Japanese, who have launched large-scale attacks on the north-western front. It is understood that the Japanese have received considerable reinforcements during the past few days. The latest British communique refers briefly to stubborn fighting at Kedah. Previous communiques referred equally briefly to fighting in the Kedah area, which correspondents interpreted as meaning the other side of the border. Indeed i is understood that all contact between the British and Japanese troops on this front had been made in Thailand until the present attack had begun. Now, apparently, the Japanese have crossed our border. Disclosures of the activities of .Netherlands submarines mean that the British are well aware of the Japanese attempt to keep supplies going for the troops fighting in the Kedah area and that we are making every effort to stop those supplies getting through. The scenes of the sinkings are believed to be the Singora and Patani areas. It is hoped that these successful attacks, against supply lines as well as lines of communication, will impede the Japanese advance. More British fighters have been sent into action to support our troops, who are fighting with the greatest gallantry. The whole force of the enemy’s efforts obviously is directed now towards an attempt to break through at Kedar. This also is one of the reasons for constant attacks against Penang, which bears the same relation to the north-western front as Alexandria bears to Libya. If the Japanese can render Penang useless to us all supplies for our troops will have to be sent by road or by a single track railway. There are indications that the Japanese are not succeeding in this object. It is authoritatively stated in London that the Japanese have slightly penetrated into Burma from Thailand in the Point Victoria region. Details are lacking, but the penetration is believed to have been made by a force which landed on the other side of the peninsula some days ago. “Stubborn fighting in the Kedah area continues, states a Singapore communique. “Our fighters have been successfully employed in harassing enemy troops and communications. Three air raids were made on Penang today. Our fighters beat off the raiders.’’