DUTCH ADVANCES IN INDONESIA

Press, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 25244, 24 July 1947, Page 7

DUTCH ADVANCES IN INDONESIA

Big Gains Reported

ATTACKS IN EAST JAVA AND ROUND BANDOENG

(N.Z. Press Association—Copyright)

(Rec. 8 p.m.) BATAVIA, July 23. Still covered by official silence, the Dutch troops who on Monday struck out from their prong on the Surabaya perimeter and those who landed at three places on Java’s easternmost tip are rapidly overrunning most strategic points on the island s rich eastern peninsula.

. Cen il ra ! and ? VeSt Java ’ where Dutch forces have attacked south from Samarang and advanced in several directions from the extensive perimeter round Bandoeng, nothing is officially known from Dutch Army information sources. They are believed to have advanced south from Samarang and along the road leading to Magelang and the Republic’s national capital, Jogjakarta. Fighting has been reported near Ambarawa.

In West Java reports say the Dutch have reached Sukabumi, where millions of guilders’ worth of estate products were stored by the Republicans.

North-east of Bandoeng the Dutch are believed to have reached Purwakarta and Krawang (a railway town 40 miles east of Batavia), and Magjalengka, thus piercing the Republican mam line of defence in the west of the island.

Suria Kartelagawa. leader of Pasundun 'the West Java separatist movement), announced to-day that Sundanese troops of the Pasundun movement were co-operating with the Dutch forces and had occupied Magjalengka. half-way between Bandoeng and Cheribon. Sukabumi is believed to have fallen rapidly because the town had been virtually cut off from communications with the main Republican forces for months. With Krawang, Purwakarta, and Majalengka in their hands, the Dutch can now drive north to the coast, taking one of Java’s richest rice-produc-ing areas. Further to the north-east they are believed to be continuing their drive on Cheribon which was bombed yesterday, and Indramayu, west of Cheribon.

Of the fighting in Sumatra little is known except a Republican report from the west coast port of Fading, where Republican troops were said to be resisting strongly, although illequipped, against artillery fire and Dutch ground advances. Indonesian Reports The Republican radio at Jogjakarta said yesterday that Probolinggo, one of East Java’s biggest ports, had been invaded by Dutch amphibious troops. Fighting was going on in the town. The radio said that Oeraran, a small town south of Samarang, was attacked. On the west sector of the Samarang front, the Republicans had launched a counter-attack.

'Die radio also said that one Dutch aeroplane was shot down at Panaddaan, near Malang. An Indonesian Army communique stated:

•One Dutch aeroplane was shot down during an air raid on western Java. Dutch forces to-day drove to Krawang, about 60 miles east of Batavia. •In central Java, a battle occurred at Salatiga. about 50 miles south of Samarang, where the Dutch are using armoured cars. Dutch aircraft this afternoon bombed the Maospati airfield. . . •’in eastern Java the enemy is driving on Malang.” The Republican communique added that two Dutch warships had been shelled at Merak by Republicans with mortars, which scored four direct hits on one of the vessels. After damage to engines had been repaired, the warships sailed.