“EVERYTHING QUIET”

Wairarapa Times-Age, 31 December 1941, Page 5

“EVERYTHING QUIET”

THE LATEST PHILIPPINES REPORT

DESTRUCTION OF ENEMY AIRCRAFT.

DURING RAID ON RANGOON .

(By Telegraph—Press Association —Copyright) LONDON, December 30.

Singapore last night had its first air raid since December 8. Few bombs were dropped and there were very few casualties. It is also officially announced that in an enemy air attack on a*railway station yesterday a large Malayan labour force which wasion the station behave particularly well. *The latest army communique from the Philippines is the shortest of the wak so far: “Everything quiet.” Last night’s Washington communique stated merely that there had been no important ground operations. A consolidation and shortening of the defence lines was previously reported. It is learned that fighters of the American volunteer air force stationed in Rangoon, Burma', shot down no fewer than 26 out of 80 Japanese planes engaged in one of the recent heavy attacks on the city. These volunteers have been protecting the Burma Road, which is vital for supplying the Chinese armies. .

The present Japanese offensive in Hunan Province, China, which is meeting with powerful resistance, is taking shape as an attempt by three main Japanese columns to prevent the Chinese Army from using the Canton-Han-kow railway for new operations against the invaders.