TESTING TIME

Wairarapa Times-Age, 9 February 1942, Page 4

TESTING TIME

NEARER AT SINGAPORE ENEMY ACTION IN JOHORE STRAITS. OCCUPATION OF SMALL ISLAND. (British Official Wireless.) (Received This Day, 11.35 a.m.) RUGBY, February 8. Singapore’s supreme testing hour appears from today’s communique to be drawing near. After dealing with events already reported, the communique states further that: “Our artillery also engaged an enemy movement eastwards towards Masai and enemy batteries in this area, which ceased fire. Enemy patrols are reported to have landed on Pulau Übin this morning.” Pulau Übin is an island in the Johore Straits, off the north-eastern tip of Singapore Island. Masai is on the mainland, nearly opposite the naval base. RAIDS ON JAVA SURABAYA & OTHER POINTS ATTACKED. (British Official Wireless.) (Received This Day, 12.18 p.m.) RUGBY, February 8. A Netherlands East Indies headquarters of forces in Batavia communique states: “Japanese bombers attacked Surabaya again. The damage inflicted upon naval establishments was only of slight importance. “Japanese planes yesterday carried out a reconnaissance over Batavia. On an estate near Bandoeng tea-pickers were machine-gunned by a low.-flying plane, but there were no casualties. Enemy seaplanes carried out reconnaissance over eastern Java. The Mumtok island of Banka has been bombed. Some civilians were killed and six were seriously and thirty slightly injured. Many fires were started, while the damage is not insignificant. “Palembang was attacked by six bombers, with a strong fighter escort. Some of our planes were set on fire on the ground. “During an attack by Japanese fighters on a small place in New Guinea one civilian was seriously and one slightly wounded, by machine-gun fire. “Slight reconnaissance activity took place over northern Sumatra.” It is officially stated in London that Pulan Übin Island, which has been occupied by Japanese, had no defences or permanent garrison. ALL QUIET ON THE SALWEEN FRONT. JAPANESE SPIES SHOT IN BURMA. (British Official Wireless.) (Received This Day, 12.20 p.m.) RUGBY, February 8. A Rangoon communique states: “All is quiet on the Salween front. “Three Japanese spies have been caught and shot by the police. “Enemy aircraft attacked aerodrome areas north of Rangoon during the night, but only slight material damage resulted. There were no casualties. “Our aircraft were active in the forward area during the afternoon of February 7, and inflicted damage on enemy war materials.” JAPANESE CLAIMS AIR RAIDS ON SINGAPORE & BURMA. (By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright) (Received This Day, 12.55 p.m.) LONDON, February 8. According to the Tokio radio Imperial Headquarters claim that Japanese bombers, in a mass raid on the Migaladon aerodrome, in Burma, shot down twelve Allied planes. They also assert that the American cruiser which was damaged in the Java Sea was the Augusta or the Houston. They further say that Singapore has been air raided 64 times and Burma 40 times since the war began. TROOPS ENCOURAGED GENERAL WAVELL’S VISIT TO BURMA. IMPORTANT TASK ASSIGNED TO, CHINESE. (By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright) (Received This Day, 12.55 p.m.) RANGOON, February 8. i Lieutenant General Hutton, after his tour of the Salween front with General Wavell, said: “General Wavell’s presence gave great satisfaction and encouragement to everybody. He saw a good many officers and troops and was pleased with their bearing. Although his headquarters are in distant Java,' it is good that he is able to keep a hand on our plans and watch the progress of our operations.” This was General Wavell’s second visit to Burma. On both occasions he flew to Rangoon in an American plane, with an American crew. Chinese troops have been steadily flowing into Burma during the past two months and more are en route. It is understood that Chinese are assuming entire responsibility for certain sections of the front, under their own formation commanders. A Rangoon communique states that the situation on the Salween front is unaltered. An enemy attempt to land southward of Paan was repulsed with small arms fire.