JAPANESE ACTIVE

Wairarapa Times-Age, 29 January 1942, Page 4

JAPANESE ACTIVE

OPERATIONS IN FAR EAST ENEMY AIR ACTIVITY. INVADERS MEET VERY STRONG RESISTANCE. (British Official Wireless.) (Received This Day. 10.7 a.m.) RUGBY, January 28. Further attacks on the Japanese convoy in the Macassar Straits were announced by the general headquarters of the South-west Pacific Command, through the Netherlands Government Information Bureau, which states:— “American Flying Fortresses yesterday delivered an attack on enemy shipping in Macassar Straits. One large transport was sunk, another set on fire, and a cruiser closely straddled with several sticks of bombs. Japanese fighter aircraft, which attempted to intercept our bombers, were roughly handled. Two were shot down and one damaged. All our aircraft returned safely.” It is officially stated from Batavia that: “There has been no decrease in enemy air activity. Bombs were dropped on several undefended places in the outer provinces, causing little material damage. Here and there in south-east Borneo bombs were dropped and mach-ine-gunning took place. The heaviest bombardment was carried out on Emmahaven, on the west coast of Sumatra, where a formation of seven bombers carried out nine attacks, inflicting material damage. Two merchant ships, lying in the harbour, were set on fire, while a third was damaged. There were no casualties, either ashore or aboard these ships. “There is no news from Balik Papan. There are reasons to assume that the Japanese have occupied several completely destroyed and burnt-out establishments. Reports from Kandari indicate that also at that place strong resistance is being offered. The first landing took place at Sempara, where the Japanese met with very strong resistance. However, radio connections have been cut off, and further reports must be awaited before information about the local situation can be given with certainty. In the vicinity of Ambon again some persons were killed and wounded as a result of enemy air activity. Naval aircraft bombed the aerodrome and storage yards at Kuching.” ENEMY ADVANCE CLAIMED. DOWN THE JOHORE RAILWAY. (Received This Day, 12.5 p.m.) TOKIO, January 29. The official radio states that the Domei agency claimed today that the Japanese forces in central Malaya had advanced twenty-eight miles down the Johore railway and were within 25 miles of Singapore Island. CHINESE APPEAL TO RUSH REINFORCEMENTS TO SINGAPORE. NOW IS THE TIME TO STRIKE. (Received This Day, 12.55 p.m.) CHUNGKING, January 28. A Government spokesman appealed to Britain and the United States to rush reinforcements to Singapore and has given a warning that its fall might lead to the eventual juncture of German and Japanese armies in India. A heavy toll of Japanese shipping Taken in the past week had shown that now was the proper moment to deal severe blows on the enemy at relatively low cost. Over a hundred Japanese vessels and many planes were observed a few days ago in the harbour at Samyakang, Hainan Island. LULL IN PHILIPPINES LITTLE ENEMY ACTIVITY. (British Official Wireless.) (Received This Day, 11.20 a.m.) RUGBY, January 28. A lull in the fighting in the Philippines is recorded in a United States War Department communique, issued in Washington, which states that in the Philippines theatre there was practically no ground activity in the Batan Peninsula yesterday. The enemy landed relatively small numbers in the Subic Bay area. Enemy air activity was limited to reconnaissance flights. Further reports of the action in the Macassar Straits disclose that eight heavy American Army bombers sank a large Japanese transport in the river at Balik Papan and scored a direct hit on a cruiser outside the harbour. During this attack one of our bombers was lost. HEAVY FIGHTING ON CENTRAL MALAYAN FRONT. FURTHER SLIGHT WITHDRAWAL. (British Official Wireless.) (Received This Day, 9.30 a.m.) RUGBY, January 28. It is known in London that there has been a further slight withdrawal in the central part of the Malayan front, where heavy fighting continues, presumably south of Klunag. NORTH QUEENSLAND EVACUATION CONSIDERED LIKELY. STATE GOVERNMENT’S VIEW. (Bv Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright) • BRISBANE, January 28. ( A mass exodus of probably 70,000 people from the coastal belt and gulf area of northern Queensland is envisaged by the State Government, which has requested voluntary evacuation of women and children from the possible (danger zones. The majority of the i evacuees will- move from the three cities of Cairns, Townsville and Charters Towers, whose total population lis 67,000.