AMBITIOUS HOPES

Wairarapa Times-Age, 3 February 1942, Page 4

AMBITIOUS HOPES

ENTERTAINED BY JAPAN CONQUEST OF MALAYA AND ENTIRE DUTCH EAST INDIES. WITH CONTROL OF OCEANS. (By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright) (Received This Day. 12.10 p.m.) LONDON, February 2. The Swiss radio, quoting a Japanese Naval Headquarters spokesman, says Japan aims at the occupation not only of Malaya but of the entire Dutch East indies, thus consolidating the claim to a new Japanese ocean, which will include the Indian Ocean, the South China Sea and the Pacific Ocean. The Stockholm ’’Svenska Dagbladet’s” Tokio correspondent says Japan anticipates that heavy artillery and air force will chiefly decide the fate of Singapore, coupled with an exhaustion of supplies owing *to Japanese control of the south-west approach, which will prevent fresh arrivals. The Japanese also count on water supply difficulties. In Tokio, Japanese military observers say the capture of Amboina will give Japanese airmen a springboard for operations as far south as Darwin. SUPERB WORK DONE BY BRITISH WARSHIPS. IN NARROW & DANGEROUS WATERS., ' (Received This Day, 12.10 p.m.) BATAVIA, February 2. War correspondents from Singapore, who have reached a Netherlands East Indies port, pay warm tributes to the superb work British warships are doing in dangerous and narrow waters, under constant aerial threat. One correspondent said he left in a naval vessel, with a damaged warship in tow. They were bombed by two Japanese reconnaissance planes. Two bombs dropped between the ships, severing the towrope. For four and a half hours they wallowed' in narrow waters, an easy target, at any moment expecting waves of planes. Finally a new rope was secured, but the old rope fouled on the propellers. They resumed towing on one screw. After twelve hours another warship came up and took over the tow. ■ NO CHANGE ON THE. SALWEEN FRONT. (British Official Wireless.) (Received This Day, 11.30 a.m.) RUGBY, February 2.Today’s Rangoon communique states that there is no change on the Salween front. There was sporadic shelling at Martaban, but no casualties on our side have been reported. NINE JAPANESE PLANES SHOT DOWN BY AMERICAN ' BOMBERS. ONE UNITED STATES MACHINE LOST. (By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright) LONDON, February 2. Nine Japanese planes have been destroyed by United States army bombers. s A War Department communique issued in Washington states that Japanese fighters intercepted four American Army bombers on their way to attack Japanese ships in Dutch Borneo. Nine enemy planes were shot down by the American planes. One bomber was lost. )