CRITICAL STAGE

Wairarapa Times-Age, 9 April 1942, Page 4

CRITICAL STAGE

IN THE BATAN BATTLE ATTACK ON NEW AMERICAN POSITIONS. CONTINUED REGARDLESS OF CASUALTIES. (By Telegraph—Press Association —Copyright) LONDON, April 8. News from the Philippines indicate that the Batan Peninsula battle is reaching a critical stage. The Japanese attacked the Americans in their new positions today, with a complete disregard of casualties. A Washington communique reports that fresh Japanese troops are continuing their drive on the Batan Peninsula with great vigour. They are heavily attacking the Americans! new positions. Dive-bombers and fighters are bombing and machine-gunning the forward lines and heavy bombers arc continuing their attacks on the realpositions. The present Japanese attack is the longest sustained drive by the enemy since operations began at Batan. The casualties are heavy on both sides. . . American and Filipino troops, with naval men and marines, have stoutly resisted the enemy attack. Repeated attempts by the enemy to land troops behind the main American lines have been beaten off by the beach defences. The guns of the harbour defences have broken up a concentration of enemy barges and small boats on the south shore of Manila Bay. A United States War Department communique states:—“There have been no air attacks on Corregidor. The guns of our harbour defences broke up a concentration of enemy barges and small craft in the vicinity of Paturigan, on the southern shore of Manila Bay. . _ . .. . “General Wainwright has been advised 'of a successful raid by one of his patrols on Mindanao, which captured a Japanese outpost in a surprise attack and forced the withdrawal of several hostile units,” „„