NOT STOPPED YET

Wairarapa Times-Age, 18 December 1941, Page 5

NOT STOPPED YET

JAPANESE DRIVE ON PENANG EMPIRE FORCES MAY HAVE’ TO GIVE GROUND. THE POSITION IN BORNEO. (By Telegraph—Press Association —Copyright) (Received This Day, 9.30 a.m.) SINGAPORE, December 17. The Japanese .now control the coast of the Malay peninsula from Victoria Point to Penang. The position of the latter place is likely to become very difficult soon and there are indications that the Empire forces will be obliged to give further ground and perhaps form a new line southward of the Province of Wellesley, where at present a confused battle is taking place.

Reports from the front state that there is no defined line in the general military sense. The Japanese are employing the infiltration technique with considerable success. Most of the fighting takes place at night. The Imperial casualties thus far are very light, while the Japanese, on the contrary, are suffering very severely, but their drive has not been stopped. The Japanese are reported to be using a type of small two-man carrier, which is easily manoeuvrable in the rubber plantations and jungle, against which the infantry is handicapped. These carriers, however, are an easy mark for anti-tank rifles and guns. The Japanese landings in Borneo were expected by the High Command, but the serious point of this landing is the probability that Kuching will be the next victim of the Japanese southwards drive and from this point bombers could operate against Singapore with the greatest ease. A report from Tokio states that a fierce Japanese air raid destroyed the wireless station at Penang.