HONGKONG SIEGE

Auckland Star, Volume LXXII, Issue 303, 23 December 1941, Page 5

HONGKONG SIEGE

ENEMY STILL HELD Operations Against Landing Parties U.P.A. and British Wireless. Rec. 1 p.m. LONDON, Dec. 22. ( A Hongkong communique states: The enemy shelled the residential area of Victoria at dusk yesterday evening and did some damage to property. After dark they increased the severity of their bombardment on the eastern section of the north shore on the island, and some enemy troops succeeded in landing in the neighbourhood of North Point and Taikoo during the night. The enemy are now being engaged by our forces. At 10.30 a.m., local time, countermeasures against the Japanese landing parties continued " The Governor, Sir Mark Young, has sent the following message to all His Majesty's forces at Hongkong: "The eyes of the Empire are upon you. Be strong. Be resolute. Do your duty." At 5.30 p.m., 'states the communique, operations against enemy landing parties on the island were proceeding. The Colonial Office states that a further message has been received from the Governor of Hongkong, which stated that the enemy had been very active all day on Sunday, but was being held. x A message received in London today from the Governor of Hongkong, Sir Mark Young, quotes a communique issued in Hongkong early on Saturday, stating that a successful coynter-attack was launched against the Japanese on . Friday afternoon near Wongneichung gap. This keypoint had been in Japanese hands for a short time, but they were thrown back from it. Throughout the night there were no further enemy advances and the defenders remained in control of the situation. Towards dusk on Friday heavy shelling took place. There were some casualties. Bombing attacks by the enemy continued during the day. The Domei News Agency states that the Japanese control the strategic points and principal centres of communications on Hongkong, says a Tokyo message, but the actual surrender of Hongkong may be held up by the desire of the Japanese forces to avoid unnecessary destruction and casualties to the Chinese population. Domei, in a later message, said British warships off Hongkong were encircled and were being destroyed by the Japanese fleet. The Canadian Minister of Defence, Colonel Ralston, announced last night that he had received from Hongkong a delayed message dated Saturday, when the garrison was stated to be holding a large part of the island. Operations were then taking place on a line north and south along the centre of the Island. The Canadian Prime Minister, Mr. W. L. Mackenzie King, has sent a message of encouragement to the defenders of the island. Chinese troops are still fighting along the Canton-Kowloon railway, it is stated in Chungking. The Chinese claim that they have made successful attacks over widely-separ-ated areas further north. Off the south coast of China a Japanese ammunition ship is reported to have been blown u®.