LULL IN BURMA

Wairarapa Times-Age, 7 February 1942, Page 3

LULL IN BURMA

AIR AND ARTILLERY FIGHTING AT SINGAPORE Japanese Landing More Troops in Philippines ENEMY GUN POSITIONS ON MANILA BAY SMASHED ANOTHER PORT OCCUPIED IN DUTCH BORNEO LONDON, February 6. ) The best news from the Far East is of the breaking up of a Japanese air raid on Rangoon by the Royal Air Force and the American Volunteer Air Group. A communique states that at 10.10 this morning an air raid warning sounded in Rangoon and a little later thirty Japanese planes were sighted. The Amercan Group destroyed seven of these for certain and probably another five. R.A.F. planes destroyed three enemy machines for certain and probably another five. Against ten enemy planes destroyed for certain and probably another ten, the Allies suffered no loss. Last night bombs were dropped on an aerodrome north of Rangoon and fires were started. These were put out quickly and no damage was done. An Army communique says the situation on the Salween River front, in Burma, has become quieter in the last 24 hours. There has been some shelling by both sides. In Singapore the enemy assault has not yet been launched. Activity has been confined to shelling on both sides. British guns are still harassing the enemy on the mainland. Enemy air activity over the island continues. There were three alerts yesterday. During one raid one enemy plane was destroyed and three were damaged by our fighters. One of our planes 'is missing. • x xu x In the Philippines there has been relative quiet on the Batan front during the last 24* hours. Nine Japanese transports have landed additional troops in Lingayen Bay. These are to reinforce the already large enemy forces in the Batan area and in other parts of Luzon. Japanese gun positions on the shores of Manila Bay were smashed by American artillery. The Japanese have occupied another port in Dutch Borneo, sixty miles north of Balik Papan. Enemy planes have made further reconnaissance fights over Java.