PERAK FRONT

Wairarapa Times-Age, 5 January 1942, Page 3

PERAK FRONT

THE BRITISH WITHDRAWAL TOLL' TAKEN OF ENEMY FIGHTING VEHICLES. ALLIED AIR SUCCESSES. (British Official Wireless.) (Received This Day, 10.10 a.m.) RUGBY, January 4. A Singapore communique states: “On the northern front in Perak, enemy pressure has been maintained. During the night our troops were withdrawn to positions further south. They were closely followed by enemy armoured fighting vehicles, which were successfully engaged. The enemy are believed to have been heavy. “Twenty-four enemy aircraft flew over the Singapore area last night and dropped bombs, which caused negligible damage. There were a few civilian casualties. One hostile aircraft showed signs of damage from our gunfire and is unlikely to have reached home. . , “One enemy aircraft crashed m the jungle near Selangor yesterday. “British and American aircraft, operating from Burma, yesterday morning attacked the aerodrome at Raheng, in Thailand, and without loss to themselves destroyed one type 96 fighter and one type C fighter in the air, and four type 96 fighters on the giound. One other type 96 fighter, was probably destroyed in the air.” NAVY AT HONG KONG ONLY FEW SMALL VESSELS LOST. LONDON, January 4. When Hong Kong fell, it is learnfi that British naval losses were confined to a few .small vessels, mostly auxiliaries. The Admiralty denies Japanese claims that a large number of British warships were destroyed or fell into their hands when Hong Kong fell.