STIR OF FIGHTING

Wairarapa Times-Age, 19 January 1942, Page 3

STIR OF FIGHTING

IN MANY PACIFIC WAR AREAS JAPANESE LOSSES OF PLANES & MERCHANT SHIPS

NEW ENEMY ATTACK

IN THE MALAY PENINSULA Strong Resistance by Australians I SOME DAMAGE DONE IN AIR RAIDS ON SINGAPORE TOLL TAKEN OF JAPANESE AIRCRAFT LONDON, January 18. In Malaya the Japanese yesterday launched an attack in some strength east of Gemas, the railway junction 130 miles north of Singapore. A Singapore communique says fighting continues. Little fresh Japanese progress is reported. The Japanese speak of meeting strong resistance by Australian troops in this area. Bombers again today attacked the marshalling yards at Gemas. A Japanese army transport plane was shot down by fighters, which machine-gunned railway transport and supply barges. . Eight enemy tanks have been destroyed. During Japanese raids on Singapore, two enemy planes were shot down, five more were probably destroyed and two others were damaged. We lost one fighter, but the pilot is safe. A number of enemy bombs fell on the naval base at Singapore, causing fires in the oil fuel area. Several of the fires have been put out and the work of extinguishing the others is progressing favourably. Yesterday’s raids cost the Japanese three planes for certain. They did relatively small damage but 130 people were killed and 100 injured. In their attacks on Singapore during two days the Japanese have lost at least five planes and probably eleven. Yesterday morning the Japanese attacked a place in central Sumatra, causing some casualties and damage. In China, fighters of the American volunteer air group shot down three Japanese bombers raiding in South Yunan, near the Burma frontier. All the American planes returned safely to their base. In land fighting the Chinese are now in control of the whole area penetrated by the Japanese in their attack on Changsha. Seventy per cent of the Japanese army engaged in the Changsha area is stated to have been wiped out, A Reuter message from Singapore states that General Sir Archibald Wavell recently visited the Malayan front. FEAT BY AMERICAN SUBMARINE Three Merchant Ships Sunk off Tokio Bay The latest United States Navy Department communique reports that an American submarine sank three enemy merchant ships off Tokio Bay. PHILIPPINES CONFLICT , A War Department communique issued in Washington reports that repeated enemy thrusts have been parried by General MacArthur’s forces, which have successfully reestablished their positions. The defenders shot down four enemy planes. General MacArthur‘warmly praises the courage and determination of his troops. AUSTRALIANS RAID CAROLINES During the last two days Royal Australian Air Force planes have attacked targets in the Caroline Islands. A seaplane and several launches were destroyed. Near misses were made on a 6,000-ton ship. All the planes returned.