VARIOUS STORIES

Wairarapa Times-Age, 25 February 1942, Page 4

VARIOUS STORIES

OF JAPANESE CAPTURE OF PALEMBANG LOOTING BY RELEASED CONVICTS. TOLL TAKEN OF ENEMY PARATROOPS. (By Telegraph—Press Association —Copyright) (Received This Day. 12.20 p.m.) BANDOENG, February 24. When the Japanese entered Palembang they immediately released all prisoners from the City Gaol. The prisoners promptly looted neighbouring pawnbrokers’ shops. This is related by a Dutchwoman who escaped from the oil centre. She said all the Japanese troops carried bundles of bank notes inscribed .with Japanese Government promises to pay the bearer ten guilders. From several sources she heard how unarmed British soldiers attacked Japanese paratroops armed with tommyguns and grenades. The British killed several Japanese with their bare fists. The Dutch from Palembang all pay tribute to the fine shooting of the Australian anti-aircraft units, who held their fire until the Japanese paratroops baled out, and then blew them to pieces in the air. A Japanese pilot, who was shot down uninjured, was recognised as a former cashier from a Palembang shop. There have been many such instances of Japanese pre-war espionage in the Indies.