FALL OF CORREGIDOR
END OF HEROIC DEFENCE
PRESIDENT’S LAST MESSAGE TO GARRISON.
SHINING EXAMPLE GIVEN TO WORLD.
LONDON, May 6.
The heroic defence of Corregidor has come to an end. The War Department in Washington announces that resistance lias been overcome and fighting lias ceased. It is believed that the commander of the American and Filipino troops in the fortress has remained behind to treat with the enemy. Thus ends nearly five months of heroic defence. When, through illness and lack of supplies, the defenders of Batan were forced to give up the fight, some of the forces- on Batan withdrew to Corregidor. There, constantly attacked from the air and latterly shelled from the mainland, this gallant handful of men held out for nearly a month. While their guns were still firing, the Japanese were unable to use Manila Bay. Yesterday, Washington announced that the Japanese had begun an attempt to land on Corregidor. The United States Navy Department states that three American mine-sweep-ers and two gunboats were lost at Corregidor. The Japanese, in their final assault, conveyed, troops from the mainland to the island in steel barges. Before the announcement of the fall of Corregidor was made, President Roosevelt sent a message to General Jonathan Wainwright as folows: “In spite of all the handicaps of complete isolation, you have given the world a shining example of patriotic fortitude and self-sacrifice.” NEW ZEALAND MOVED PRIME MINISTER’S MESSAGE TO PRESIDENT. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) WELLINGTON, This Day. The following cablegram has been sent by the Prime Minister, Mr Fraser, to the New Zealand Minister at Washington, Mr Nash:— “Will you kindly inform President Roosevelt how profoundly the Government, Parliament, and people of New Zealand have been moved by the fall of Corregidor. The very gallant defence of the fortress against overwhelming odds has been and ever will be an inspiration and a glorious example to all of us who are banded together to resist aggression and to preserve and restore freedom. Corregidor has not been in vain. It will live for ever in the memory of men as one of the great feats of arms of all time.”
In the House of Representatives last evening the Minister of Supply (Mr Sullivan) paid tribute to the magnificent courage of the United States sol-diers-in the glorious defence they had made in the Philippines as well as on the Batan peninsula and Corregidor. TERMS ARRANGED COVERING CAPITULATION OF ISLAND FORTS. (British Official Wireless.) (Received This Day, 10.0 a.m.) ♦ RUGBY, May 6. The fall of Corregidor is confirmed by a Washington communique stating that the War Department has received a message from Corregidor saying that the resistance of the troops has been overcome. Fighting has ceased and terms have been arranged, covering the capitulation of the island forts in Manila Bay. A Melbourne message says the communique from General MacArthur’s headquarters announcing the fall of Corregidor also states that the Japanese have occupied the other fortified. islands in Manila Bay. Referring to Corregidor, the communique says that the enemy launched a landing attack against the beach positions in the north of the island, which, it was subsequently learned, has at last fallen after nearly five months’ resistance. “It will, with the defence of Batan, certainly go down in history as one of' the most brilliant and courageous defensive actions of the war,” the communique added. The landing was made at midnight, Manila time.
The Prime Minister, Mr Curtin, paid a tribute to the tenacity, courage, and sacrifices of the defenders of Corregidor, and congratulated General. Wainwright for holding out so well in the face of terrific odds. Mr Curtin likened the siege to that of Tobruk, where the Australians had distinguished themselves.
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Wairarapa Times-Age, 7 May 1942, Page 3
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616FALL OF CORREGIDOR Wairarapa Times-Age, 7 May 1942, Page 3
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