FEROCIOUS ATTACK

Wairarapa Times-Age, 10 January 1942, Page 4

FEROCIOUS ATTACK

OPENED BY JAPANESE NORTH OF KUALA LUMPUR. HELD BY BRITISH ADVANCED FORCES. (By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright) (Received This Day, 12.40 p.m.) SINGAPORE, January 9. With the further southward advance of the enemy, the threat to Kuala Lumpur has greatly increased. The Japanese main forces, supported by heavy tanks, guns and planes, breaking from the jungle, started a general offensive on the Western Malaya front. The attack is developing along the Slim River and the Bil River, north of Tanjong Malim, and 50 miles north of Kuala Lumpur. A United Press correspondent says the intrepid British advanced troops are holding the attack, though outnumbered by scores to one. In a despatch from the Slim River front, the British United Press correspondent says the slaughter of Japanese in some areas is unbelievable. British concentrated fire has mown down wave after wave, of Japanese, and whole detachments have been blown to pieces. The correspondent adds that the Japanese are using more and bigger tanks. Flying 300 miles from bases in Burma, five aircraft of the American volunteer group with the R.A.F., bombed the Method aerodrome, near Bangkok. A communique issued from Rangoon stated that the raiders destroyed seven Japanese aircraft on the ground. One • American plane is missing. The Chinese military spokesman in Chungking said that Chinese troops in Burma are moving up to designated positions, and mote are ready to enter Burma when and if needed. The Tokio radio announced that an eenmy submarine torpedoed and damaged the Japanese freighter Unkai Marti / off the Izuchichito Islands, south of Tokio.