BRITISH EFFORTS

Evening Post, Volume CXL, Issue 118, 15 November 1945, Page 7

BRITISH EFFORTS

AVOIDANCE OF BLOODSHED

LONDON, November 14. British troops in Java are continuing the occupation of Surabaya, despite some attacks by Indonesian extremists. They are trying to avoid bloodshed, bu 15,000 to 18,000 Indonesians are opposing them. Endeavours are being made to give civilians a chance to get away from the fighting areas, but the extremists seem indifferent to the fate of their own people. Women and children are in districts which troops have had to fight to occupy. BATAVIA, November 14. There are indications of stiffening Indonesian resistance in Surabaya, reports an official army statement today. There is determined opposition along the railway/which roughly bisects the town east and west, and artillery concentrations have broken up a heavy 3/ttcick The'lndonesians are using concrete pillboxes, and old air-raid shelters built before the Japanese occupation. Eight thousand refugees, all seeking food and water and collecting m the area occupied by British troops, are becoming a problem. Attempts to infiltrate in.the area of the Parinan and Grand Hotels were frustrated. Two Sepoys were killed and six wounded. _ The British forces in Surabaya, spearheaded by tanks and supported by naval and field artillery, continued to edge towards the naval base, more than half of which is reported to be under British control. ... +Vl There is no indication that tne battle, now in its fourth day, is losing any of its fury. The British continued their house-to-house battle against powerful, well-trained forces which are using first-class Japanese equipment, including field artillery.

SLOW BUT SURE

The Batavia correspondent of The Times" says that in order to save lives in the Surabaya operation MajorGeneral Mansergh is deliberately going slowly. The Indonesian resistance does not appear to be formidable, but as he advances he is making sure that the areas taken are properly cleared. Indonesians are reported to be digging gun emplacements at a point north-west of Surabaya from which they could shell British shipping in Surabaya harbour. The destroyer Carron plastered the area with.4s millimetre and 40 millimetre shells. The results were not observed. Part of a battalion of the Madras Regiment arrived in a 10,000-ton steamer which caught fire and burnt out in Surabaya harbour yesterday, it is believed as the result of sabotage. Dr W. M. F. Mansvelt, a former member of the Department of Economic Affairs, who is attached to Dr. Van Mook's staff, disappeared between the-Hotel dcs Indes, Batavia, and his office. He is believed to have been kidnapped. . The bodies of two Japanese wearing Japanese uniforms were found in an Indonesian bunker in Surabaya after the "bunker was overrun. The tactics employed by the Indonesians are of Japanese standard and practice. There is little doubt that some Japanese are still actively engaged in fighting in Surabaya. , , The Associated Press correspondent at Batavia says that the sweeping Cabinet reorganisation gives rise to hopes that the Javanese strife will be settled by negotiations. . Members of the new Cabinet are Professor Sunryo Kolopakeng, Minister of Finance; and Dr. Suwandi, Minister of Justice. Professor Kolopakeng was formerly Professor of Economics at Batavia University.