DUTCH FIGHT ON

Evening Post, Volume CXXXIII, Issue 100, 30 April 1942, Page 5

DUTCH FIGHT ON

RESISTANCE NORTH OF

AUSTRALIA

(Rec. 11 a.m.) RUGBY, April 29. Dr. Van Mook, former Lieuten-ant-Governor-General of the Netherlands East Indies, speaking in London, said that although a large part of the Indies was in the , hands of the enemy it was still possible, with the men, ships, and material which the Dutch had outside the area, to carry on making a contribution to the war and stay in the line which was fighting the enemy. Fighting was still going on in the western part of Java. There was also probably some fighting in the eastern part. Fighting was still going on in Timor, which was the Dutch island nearest to Australia. There were facilities in Australia for brbadcasting to these Dutch forces still opposing the enemy, but their radio in return was weak. He was not sure if fighting was continuing in Sumatra. Dr. Van Mook spoke highly of the native populations, saying that their Press kept up an anti-Japanese attitude right up to the time when they must have known invasion was inevitable. There was no organised fifth column activity. LONG PREPARED. Destruction of the oil wells was prepared a long time before the Japanese attack. It had been estimated that to build new wells alone would take between four and six n:onths, even jf the work was undisturbed. He thought that the invasion of Java was carried out with between 150,000 and 180,000 men. The defenders numbered about 80,000, including the militia and other units, of which at least 70 per cent, were natives. They had, by then, lost all their ships and most of their aircraft. Dr. Van Mook estimated that 98 Japanese ships other than warships had been sunk from December to March. Between 80 and 100 transports were dispersed in the Battle of Macassar Strait. He found a great change in Australia during March, since it was now felt that the Japanese offensive had been held up.—-8.0.W.