PHILIPPINES BATTLES

Wairarapa Times-Age, 4 February 1942, Page 3

PHILIPPINES BATTLES

ASSAULTING FORCES DESTROYED BY AMERICANS Powerful Air Attack on Surabaya MORE ENEMY LOSSES IN MACASSAR STRAIT AUSTRALIAN MINISTER BROADCASTS TO TROOPS IN SINGAPORE LONDON, February 3. The main news from the Far East is of the successful repulse of two Japanese landing attempts in the Philippines and of the first enemy air attacks on Java, key island of the Netherlands East Indies. . A Washington communique states that two Japanese attempts to land troops on the west coast of the Batan Peninsula were broken up on Monday night. The first attempt, by shock troops, was made early in the evening and was dispersed by artillery fire. A second and more serious attempt was made at midnight. A large number of barges approached the coast. They were discovered by American planes which attacked the convoy with light bombs and machine-gun fire, destroying barges and inflicting heavy casualties. A large number of disabled barges were found in the morning, but none of the enemy troops succeeded in getting ashore. An attack on the Dutch port and naval base of Surabaya was made by 26 Japanese bombers. Slight damage was done to naval and other installations along the waterfront. The civil population stood its first ordeal well. Other towns in Java were also attacked. One Japanese bomber and several fighters were shot down. MORE ENEMY TRANSPORTS SUNK A renewal of fighting in Macassar Strait is reported. A communique from General Wavell’s headquarters states that American planes sank two Japanese transports and probably a third off Balik Papan, in Dutch Borneo. Dutch planes shot down one Japanese aircraft. During the last few days in this area the Allies have shot down nine Japanese aircrafet at the cost of one. . In a broadcast to the Australian troops in Singapore, the Australian Army Minister, Mr Forde, said that every hour the Japanese were held up permitted the deployment of more reinforcements and the accumulation of more weapons of war. A big Allied move was under way. An Empire Airways plane was forced down by the Japanese on the northern tip of the island of Timor. Thirteen passengers were killed.