DEFENCE OF JAVA

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 62, Issue 122, 5 March 1942, Page 5

DEFENCE OF JAVA

GREAT STUBBORNNESS SHOWN. ENEMY MAKES SOME HEADWAY AIR ATTACKS BY BOTH SIDES. (United Press Association—Copyright.) (Roc. 10.10 a.m.) LONDON, Mar. 4. A Batavia communique states: “About the fighting in the invasion areas of Java it can only be reported to-day that our troops are fighting with great stubbornness and in an 01fensive 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 succeeded in making some headway ai some points as a result of his numerical superiority, especially in the air. “The enemy yesterday carried out « heavy attack on one of the 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 wds injured. “From recent reports it appears that the enemy the day before yesterday, during an attempt to raid Bandoeng, was intercepted and so heavily punisaed that he gave up the attack. Four enemy bombers and one fighter or bomber was shot down.

“During an attack by our planes on an enemy-occupied aerodrome heavy damage was inflicted on hangars A direct hit was scored on an anti-air-craft battery while a number of enemy bombers were" machine-gunned

• “Nothing particular can be reported, about the fighting in the outer provinces.”—British Official Wireless.