SWEEPING CLAIMS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 22 January 1942, Page 3

SWEEPING CLAIMS

MADE BV JAPANESE NAVY MINISTER VIRTUAL COMMAND OF PACIFIC ALLEGED DESTRUCTION OF AMERICAN SHIPS. (By Telegraph—Press Association— Copyright) (Received This Day, 9.35 a.m.) TOKIO, January 21. In the Diet, the Navy Minister, Admiral Shimada, asserted: “The Japanese Navy now virtually commands the entire Pacific from Malaya and the , Netherlands East Indies to the west coast of the United States.’’ He claimed the following ments:—Warships sunk: Seven battleships, two aircraft-carriers, two cruisers, six destroyers, 18 submarines and 26 other warships. Warships damaged: Four battleships, six cruisers, one seaplane tender, three destroyers. Merchantmen sunk: 35. Merchantmen damaged: 28. Aircraft damaged or destroyed: 977. It is further claimed that Japanese submarines Operating off the United States coast, have sunk ten vessels, aggregating 70,000 tons. They also heavily damaged three other vessels, totalling 30.000 tons, and lightly damaged five, totalling 40,000 tons. Admitted Japanese naval losses since the war began are four destroyers, four mine-sweepers, three submarines, four transports, 67 aircraft; also one cruiser, slightly damaged. The Prime Minister, General Tojo said Japan would gladly enable the Philippines to enjoy the honour of independence, provided the Filipinos were willing to help achieve co-pros-perity. A communique claims that Japanese attacking Cowmeander, north-east of Tavoy, annihilated resisting enemy units. ALLIED AIR ARM UNDER GENERAL WAVELL’S COMMAND. LONDON, January 21. General Wavell is to have his own air arm in the south-west Pacific, consisting of bombers and fighters, says the “Daily Mail’s’’ aeronautical correspondent. ■ The force will operate similarly to the Libyan air arm and will co-operate in the closest possible degree with the naval and land forces. The commanding officer will probably be a member of the Royal Air Force, whose name will be announced when he reaches General Wavell’s headquarters. JAPANESE ARMY COMPLETELY EQUIPPED BUT MUCH OF ITS MATERIAL OLD-FASHIONED. (Received This Day, 10 a.m.) WASHINGTON, January 21. , Lieutenant John Scofield, writing in . the semi-official “Infantry Journal,” described the Japanese weapons as . “almost a parrot copy of the Fueh- . rer’s hordes.” Lieutenant Scofield says that, man . for man, the Japanese fighters are ■ probably as efficient as the average , in Europe. “The Army,” he adds, “is well fed, cleanly uniformed and about ( as completely equipped as that of any j belligerent today. Much of its mater- i ial is old-fashioned and of conserva- . tive design, but what it lacks in im- i provements is balanced by plentiful i quantities.” — i i JAPANESE HOPES FALL OF SINGAPORE SAID TO BE IMMINENT. NEW YORK, January 20. The Tokio radio said that the newspaper “Changai,” commenting on the significance of the tripartite military convention which has been newly signed in Berlin, stated: “The reason for this indispensable strategy hardly needs explanation now that the imminent fall of Singapore will naturally j place India in the position of a mutual ] problem of Japan and the other Axis ’ Powers.” (

The “Asahi Shimbun” called the agreement an historical turning-point with the fall of Singapore in sight.

RAID ON RABAUL DAMAGE AND CASUALTIES. AIRCRAFT LOSSES ON BOTH SIDES. LONDON, January 21. An Australian communique, describing yesterday’s full-scale Japanese airraid on Rabaul, capital of mandated New Guinea, states that 100 flyingboats took part. Bombs set fire to a merchantman in the harbour, damaged wharves and did some damage to civilian defence property. Eleven persons were killed and six injured. Three of the raiders were shot down and several others damaged, and the defence? forces lost several aircraft.