STIFF RESISTANCE.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 62, Issue 85, 21 January 1942, Page 5

STIFF RESISTANCE.

AUSTRALIANS IN MALAYA. ENEMY ADVANCE IN BURMA LONDON, January 20. The Australian Imperial Force in Malaya is offering gallant resistance to the Japanese advancing south through Johore Province. The latest news of the fighting is contained in a message sent by Major-General Bennett to the Australian Minister for the Army. The message said the Australians had beaten off vigorous Japanese tank attacks. * One of several Japanese claims broadcast this morning was that the Japanese had completed a ring round 20,000 Australian troops in central Johore.

United States Army aeroplanes in Malaya have successfully raided the enemy-occupied aerodrome at Singei Patani, on the Malayan mainland, north-east of Penang. Three fires were started among enemy aircraft on the ground. All the American aircraft returned safely. Strong Japanese forces operating from Thailand have reached the Indian Ocean at Tavoy, in the Tenasserim area of Burma, after four days’ fighting. The British forces have withdrawn to stronger positions, presumably in the mountains to the north. A communique issued in Rangoon, reporting operations in Burma, said that British forces had withdrawn from Tavoy in the face of superior enemy forces. Later it was officially stated that the Japanese had occupied the town and had based fighter aeroplanes at the aerodrome. Tavoy is an important centre of tin and wolfram production. It’s capture will provide the Japanese with another air base from which to raid Rangoon, about 220 miles north-west, and a naval base from which to attack shipping in the Andaman Sea and the Bay of Bengal. In the Netherlands East Indies, five American aircraft raided the Menado airfield, on the Minahassa peninsula, where the Japanese made one of their first landings in Netherlands East Indies territory. During the raid, nine enemy fighters were shot down. Two American aircraft are missing. CLAIM BY JAPANESE. STRIKING DOWN WEST COAST. (Rcc. 11.30) NEW YORK, Jan. 17. The Tokio official radio says that the Domei News Agency in a dispatch claimed that the Batu Pa hat sector had been reached at dawn on Saturday by the spearhead of mechanised foiccs that are striking down the west coast of Johor O' from Malacca Settlement.