DUTCH REPORT

Wairarapa Times-Age, 5 March 1942, Page 4

DUTCH REPORT

ON JAVA OPERATIONS DEFENDERS FIGHTING STUBBORNLY. AGAINST SUPERIOR ENEMY NUMBERS. (British Official Wireless.) (Received This Day, 10.12 a.m.) RUGBY, March 4. A Batavia communique states: “About the fighting in the invasion areas of Java it can only be reported today that our troops are fighting with great stubbornness and in an offensive spirit. In all places where the enemy attempts to advance he is strongly engaged by our troops, who try to prevent his advance. The enemy has succeeded in making some headway at some points as a result of his numerical superiority, especially in the air. “The enemy yesterday carried out a heavy attack on one of our aerodromes in the vicinity of Bandoeng, inflicting damage to military and civil objectives. Some of our planes were set on fire on the ground. Two enemy bombers were shot down. Despite the fierceness of the attack, the number of victims was small. Two soldiers were buried in an air raid shelter, which received a direct hit. Another soldier was injured.

“From a recent report it appears that the enemy on the day before yesterday, during an attempt to raid Bandoeng, was intercepted and so heavily punished that he gave up the attack. Four enemy bombers and one fighter bomber were shot down. During an attack by our planes on an enemy-oc-cupied aerodrome, heavy damage was inflicted on hangars. A direct hit was scored on an anti-aircraft battery, while a number of enemy bombers were machine-gunned. “Nothing in particular can be reported about the fighting in the outer provinces.” TACTICS OF INVADERS MUCH THE SAME AS IN MALAYA. FIERCE OPPOSITION OFFERED. (Received This Day, 1.30 p.m.) BANDOENG, March 4. The Netherlands Government in London, in consultation with the military authorities in Bandoeng, has instructed all commanders, including those who have to operate singly, that they must fight to the last. “The Japanese in Java are using the same tactics as they employed in Malaya,” says a “Daily Express” correspondent. “They split into groups of tens or twenties, and then weave through the tea and rubber plantations. They are meeting fierce opposition from the Dutch, who are well used to this kind of fighting. At the moment the Japanese advance is by infiltration—the only means whereby they can move. It would be certain death for them to try to negotiate the roads, which are thickly mined and covered by artillery at every turn.”