MALAYA CAMPAIGN

Wairarapa Times-Age, 23 January 1942, Page 3

MALAYA CAMPAIGN

AIR & LAND FIGHTING ENEMY LOSES FIVE BOMBERS AT SINGAPORE. PUNISHING BRITISH ATTACKS ON TRANSPORT. (British Official Wireless.) (Received This Day. 10.40 a.m.) RUGBY. January 22. An official communique from Singapore states: “In north-east Johore there ' has been contact, north of Mersing, between enemy parties pushing south from Endau and our troops, who successfully ambushed part of the enemy, inflicting a number of casualties with slight loss to ourselves. “In the west, heavy fighting continues in the Bukit Payong area. Some patrol activity is reported in the area of Batu Pahat. “Yesterday afternoon our aircraft carried out a successful attack on enemy motor transport north of Parit Bulong. A number of bombs hit the roadway among the vehicles, many of which were destroyed, with damage to the remainder. The convoy was machinegunned from a low altitude. This morning another attack was made on enemy mechanised transport in the same area. A number of vehicles were completely wrecked, and others were damaged. Machine-gun attacks were carried out on staff cars and lorries. “In yesterday’s air raid on Singapore about 100 enemy aircraft took part. Some damage to military objectives, chiefly buildings, and slight casualties are reported. The majority of the damage and casualties occurred in residential areas. The casualties were 287 killed and 529 injured. “Enemy aircraft raiding Singapore today were intercepted by fighters, which shot down five bombers and damaged one fighter.”