INVASION OF JAVA

Wairarapa Times-Age, 17 February 1942, Page 3

INVASION OF JAVA

REPORTED BY ENEMY THE JAPANESE ENTRY INTO SINGAPORE. COMPOSITION OF GARRISON. (By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright) LONDON, February 16, Since Mr Churchill last night announced the fall of Singapore the Japanese have stated that their forces entered the city at 8 a.m. yesterday, local time. It has not yet been disclosed which troops made up the garrison defending Singapore, but the Japanese say it consisted of 15,000 United Kingdom troops, 13,000 Australians and 32,000 Indians, a total of 60,000. The Berlin radio, quoting the Japanese newspaper, “Asahi Shimbun,” says that the largest part of the British and Australian forces obviously left Singapore on February 13 for Sumatra. More than 30 ships, all of them over 1000 tons, and also a 10,000-ton cruiser were anchored at Singapore on the night of February 13. All had gone by the following morning. Only Chinese and Malays remain in Singapore, the radio added. An official announcement from Tokio stated that under the terms of the surrender, 1000 British soldiers will retain their arms to maintain order till the Japanese completely occupy the city. It is announced today from Batavia that the Japanese have occupied Palembang, the great oil centre in Sumatra. Reports from enemy sources say the Japanese have also landed on the island of Java, which, with its 40,000,000 inhabitants and huge resources, is the key to the whole archipelago. It is also the headquarters of General Wavell. A direct attack by the enemy has been expected for some time, and everything indicates that the defenders are determined to contest every inch of ground. The Japanese now hold a long line of bases in the East Indies and New Guinea area, stretching from the South China Sea to the Bismarck Archipelago. Latest reports indicate that the pressure is increasing at the New Guinea end. In the centre there is still resistance at the island of Amboina. Farther west the Japanese are trying to secure the southern entrance to the Macassa Straits. Between Borneo and Singapore they have occupied the Anambas Islands.