STOUT DEFENCE

Wairarapa Times-Age, 25 March 1942, Page 3

STOUT DEFENCE

OF CORREGIDOR FORTRESS & BATAN JAPANESE HEAVY BOMBERS REPULSED. SOME SHARP ENCOUNTERS ON LAND. (By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright) (Received This Day, 9.40 a.m.) WASHINGTON, March 24. A communique states: “The fortified island of Corregidor and our positions on the Batan Peninsula were heavily bombed this morning by 53 Japanese heavy bombers of a new type. The damage inflicted on our military installations was of slight consequence. At least three enemy planes were shot down by our anti-aircraft artillery. “Several sharp encounters have occurred in the Batan area between hostile ground forces. Our artillery laid down a concentrated fire on enemy positions. , The Japanese losses are believed to have been considerable, while our casualties were slight.”

BATAN & CORREGIDOR CAPTURE WOULD BE VERY COSTLY. AMERICAN COMMISSIONER ON OUTLOOK. WASHINGTON, March 23. The United States High Commissioner in the Philippines, Mr F. B. Sayre, declared to the Press that he doubted whether the Japanese would make an all-out attempt at present to capture the fortress of Corregidor and the Batan Peninsula, because of the high price they would have to pay for it. The Japanese would now concentrate on northern Australia. He emphasised that the rewinning of the Philippines would be a tremendous task because of the great distances and problems of communications, but everything possible was being done to get material there. He asserted that General MacArthur was transferred to Australia “specifically to make sure that we get back to the Philippines and drive out the Japanese.” Mr Sayre stressed the vital importance of reinforcing General MacArthur in Australia, from which base it was hoped to wage the fight for the eventual recapture of the Philippines. He said this would mean straight-out fighting, since there was no back-door| to the islands. * HEAVY FIGHTING IN SOUTHERN CHINA. CHUNGKING, March 23. A communique reports that on the Kwangtung front heavy fighting is in progress near Chungshan, following a new Japanese landing. Chinese forces, taking the offensive west of Canton, have occupied the capital of Kwangtung and attacked Japanese positions at Samshu, where they inflicted 200 casualties on the enemy.

JAPANESE CLAIM CAPTURE OF TOUNGOO. CONSIDERED AT LEAST PREMATURE. (British Official Wireless.) (Received This Day, 9.52 a.m.) RUGBY, March 24. The latest news of operations in Burma indicates that there has been no substantial change in the position. The Chinese, according to authoritative London quarters, are in contact with the enemy south of Toungoo and the Japanese claim, to have taken this town, is considered to be at least premature.