JAVA INVADED

Wairarapa Times-Age, 2 March 1942, Page 3

JAVA INVADED

JAPANESE LANDINGS AT THREE POINTS

FOLLOWING ON HARD-FOUGHT NAVAL BATTLE

POSITION IN BURMA DESCRIBED AS SERIOUS

STRONGLY CONTESTED BY NAVAL, AIR AND LAND FORCES Enemy’s Latest Invasion Effort LOSSES OF WARSHIPS ON BOTH SIDES NUMBER OF JAPANESE TRANSPORTS SUNK LONDON, March 1. Following’ on a naval battle between Allied and Japanese forces, fought in the Java Sea on Friday afternoon and night, Japanese forces have landed at three points in Java. They are reported to have suffered heavy losses and it is observed that if they are to maintain their foothold in Java, the Japanese must send convoy after convoy, with men, munitions and supplies. . In their attack on the enemy landing forces, Allied aircraft rushed backward and forward between their bases and the Japanese landing points, reloading with bombs. It is officially announced in Bandoeng, the Dutch headquarters in Java, that the enemy forced three landings on the north coast —one in Bantam Province, in the extreme west of the island, the second near Indramaju, 120 miles east of Batavia, and the third near Rembang, 100 miles west of Surabaya. British, Dutch, Australian and United States forces are bitterly resisting the invaders on the flat beaches and in big naval and air actions attacks have been made against the Japanese armadas. The invasion was preceded by a naval battle in the Java Sea, and during'the action 40 Japanese transports which had been approaching the island turned back northward. Tokio claims the the naval battle is continuing. The latest communique from Koepang today states: “During the last 24 hours 15 Japanese transports have been sunk or set on fire off Java, while six others have been seriously damaged. The Japanese have succeeded in getting some 50 transports to Java. It it not known how many Japanese troops have succeeded in landing, but unofficial estimates vary between a few thousands and four divisions. “In the naval battle which preceded the invasion the Japanese lost a heavy cruiser sunk and five destroyers damaged. The Allied losses wereutwo cruisers and one destroyer sunk, all of them Dutch. ’ ’ Another Allied cruiser is reported to have been dapiaged. It is officially stated in Java that the Japanese have occupied a port on the north coast, 40 miles from Bandoeng. No complete account has yet been given of naval losses, but a Batavia communique states that one enemy cruiser had been sunk and three others damaged while three destroyers were left burning or sinking. At least nine transports were sunk or damaged. BURMA AND PHILIPPINES A Rangoon communique reports patrol activity on the Sittang River front, with signs of increasing enemy activity. More of our troops have crossed the river and after heavy fighting are reorganising. The R.A.F. has continued to attack the enemy in forward areas. There has been no enemy activity over Burma. The western corner of Timor has been occupied by the Japanese. Fighting elsewhere is still going on. In the Philippines the lull in the fighting on the Batan Peninsula continues. A period of positional warfare seems to be indicated.