JAPANESE LANDINGS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 24 January 1942, Page 3

JAPANESE LANDINGS

IN AUSTRALIANJSLAND OUTPOSTS TIDE OF CONFLICT IN PACIFIC WAR AREAS POWERFUL NETHERLANDS AIR ATTACK ON ENEMY SQUADRON

WITHDRAWAL IN MALAYA HURRICANES IN ACTION OVER SINGAPORE Japanese Formations Scattered Over Sky OTHER ATTACKING AIR FLEETS SHATTERED AT RANGOON GALLANT DEFENSIVE STAND CONTINUES IN PHILIPPINES LONDON, January 23. Landings have been made by Japanese forces in New Guinea and in the Solomon Islands. A call for intensified defensive efforts has been made by the Australian Army Minister (Mr In Malaya, activity is increasing 70 miles north-west of Singapore. Heavy fighting continues. It seems that our forces are making a general withdrawal in areas where operations are going on. In a Japanese raid on Singapore one bomber was shot down and another was probably destroyed. In yesterday’s raid only six enemy planes have been claimed as destroyed, but the total enemy losses probably were considerably greater. Fifty-five heavy bombers, escorted by fighters, took part. Hurricanes attacked the enemy planes with such fury that the Japanese broke formation and scattered over the sky. One British pilot shot down two planes. A Rangoon communique states that fighters shattered two Japanese air fleets today when they flew over the city. About 60 enemy planes came over. General MacArthur’s positions are still being attacked heavily, but every attack has been repulsed with heavy loss. A Washington communique states that the Japanese appear to have adopted a policy of continuing assaults, without regard to the casualties. i General Wavell has sent a message to General MacArthur, congratulating him and his forces on their magnificent defence of the Philippines. JAPAN’S PRESENT ADVANTAGE We must face the fact, the British Air Minister (Sir Archift bald Sinclair) stated in a speech at Manchester, that Japan was mistress of the Western Pacific for the time being, but he did not believe that she would be so for long. The Air Minister said that the Royal Air Force had now reached equality of strength with Germany. He added, however, that the R.A.F. had to operate in many areas widely separated, while the enemy profited by his interior lines of communication. DUTCH ACHIEVEMENT Twelve Direct Bomb Hits ON EIGHT JAPANESE WARSHIPS & TRANSPORTS LONDON, January 23. A Netherlands East Indies communique states that Dutch planes scored 12 direct hits on eight Japanese warships and transports in the Macassar Strait, between Borneo and Celebes. Hits were recorded on one large" warship, one heavy cruiser, one cruiser, one destroyer, three large transports, and one smaller one. Not one of the attacking planes was lost.