FOOTHOLD WON

Evening Post, Volume C, Issue 40, 17 February 1942, Page 5

FOOTHOLD WON

AFTER FIERCE FIGHT

■MEANING OF BOTCH SABOTAGE

(By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright.) (Rec. 9 a.m.) BATAVIA, teb. 16. A communique anniairiced the fall of Palembang. "After the parachutist attacks started strong action ' was taken arid towards Saturday evening a large part, of the parachutists had been dealt With," said the communique. "The troops garrisoned in and around Palembang had the situation in hand. Meantime, a strong enemy fleet was. noticed in ■< Banka Strait. As a large-scale attack could be expected on Sunday We proceeded, during Saturday night, to completely destroy the oil installations near Palembang. "Early on Sunday morning,- largescale bombardments of the Japanese fleet began arid several successes were obtained. American, British, and Netherlands .aircraft took part. "Seven direct hits were scored. "Iri the Mbesti estuary, the Japanese transferred their troops into all kinds of sriiall craft—sloops, motor-boats, samparis, arid, rowing-boats—and then sailed iritb various fivers and creeks. They were continually harassed by our low-flying fighters and bombex's, which played murderous havoc among thou.the invaders. " ; - "..,,.-y- -." .. "The attack-was directed against the town of-palerribang,. Which Was, becuf pied, "by the Japanese after - fierce fightv ■ ing."; '~.;'.' HUGE LOSSES OF OIL. The Netherlands Indies had lost 22_ ' per cent, of their oil by destruction of the Balik Papan and Tarakan fields. , If- the South Sumatra fields go they Will have lost 88 per cent.," leaving only . 12 per cent, produced in Java for Allied use. There are large supplies stored in Java, but when these are exhausted production will be insuffU cieftt to maintain the Allied war machine here without bringirig oil from the United States and the Persian * Gulf.. ~':■'"■■ The total Netherlands Indies oil production was 8,000,000 tons anriually. Of ;this 4,300,000 tons were produced iri 'the Palembang arid the nearby Djambi fields, from which they; were pumped to Palembang. OF GREAT VALUE. The refineries arid surface workings Sere alone Were Valued at £70,000,000^. big refineries adjoin, arid together cbver a block bf four miles by three. Fightirig coritiriues iri South Celebes. Dutch troops are resistiftg stubbornly, especially in the vicinity of Macassar Strait. The Anambas Islands, east of Malaya, have been occupied by the Japanese.