SMALL BUT HEROIC

Wairarapa Times-Age, 30 December 1941, Page 5

SMALL BUT HEROIC

WAKE ISLAND GARRISON FOUR ENEMY WARSHIPS SUNK. SEVERAL OTHERS DAMAGED. (By Telegraph—Press Association —Copyright) (Received This Day, 9.50 a.m.) WASHINGTON, December 29. The Navy Department disclosed tonight that the “handful /of defenders” at Wake Island, before the invasion, sank a Japanese submarine, a cruiser and a destroyer. Furthermore they damaged several warships, including two destroyers and two auxiliaries. The Wake “Air Force” was reduced to two planes, which bombed and disabled two Japanese destroyers. SINGAPORE REPORT SITUATION IN MALAYA. NO CHANGE EXCEPT AT IPOH. (British Official Wireless.) (Received This Day, 9.28 a.m.) RUGBY, December 29. A Far East war communique from Singapore states: “On the Perak front, our forces are in close contact with the enemy south of Ipoh. Elsewhere in Malaya the situation remains unchanged. “On the east coast, at Kuantan, some enemy aircraft bombed and machinegunned our posts, but no damage or casualties are reported. “Reports regarding Sarawak confirm the Japanese occupation of Kuching. “Medium R.A.F. bombers carried out another attack on the aerodrome at Sungei Patani last night, causing a number of fires and explosions. Reconnaissances confirm that during an attack on the same target on the previous night seven enemy fighters and three heavy bombers were destroyed and five other enemy fighters badly damaged. “Enemy aircraft carried out raids on Medan (Sumatra) and Port Swettenham (Malaya) yesterday. Slight damage has been reported. One’ enemy aircraft was shot down, by anti-aircraft fire, at Port Swettenham and at least one other was damaged. “There was a raid this morning on the Kulang Aerodrome.” INDIA PROUD OF GALLANT RESISTANCE AT HONG KONG. (British Official Wireless.) RUGBY, December 28. An Ottawa message states that the Canadian Prime Minister, Mr Mackenzie King, has received the following message from the Viceroy of India, Lord Linlithgow: “The Princes and people of India share with the people of Canada their pride in the most gallant resistance against overwhelming odds ■of the garrison of Hong Kong. They are fully conscious of all that is at stake, and are resolved to give without stint of their resources and strive to the utmost limit of their ’ strength till victory is secured.” JAPANESE TRIUMPH REVIEW AT HONb KONG. LONDON, December 28. The Tokio radio reports that the Jap- ' anese held a triumphal review in Hong ; Kong. Vice-Admiral Masaichi Niimi and Lieutenant-General Ryu Sakai, who commanded the navy and army ! forces against Hong Kong, reviewed 1 troops in Kowloon and then crossed to . the scene of the first Japanese landing 1 on Hong Kong Island. : Arriving at Victoria on horseback, they then inspected army units which ’ lined Queen’s road, while army and ' navy planes roared overhead. The two commanders then addressed an assembly of detachment commanders at Government House. ■ It is announced in Tokio that more than 6000 British prisoners were counted up to yesterday.