WAR IN INDO-CHINA

Greymouth Evening Star, 21 January 1941, Page 7

WAR IN INDO-CHINA

FRENCH CLAIM SUCCESSES. [BY GABLE —PRESS ASSN. —COPYRIGHT.] HANOI. January 20. A Thailand advanced unit has been dispersed east of Poipet by our motorised units,” declared Admiral De Coux, ex-Governor of Indo China, in a communique. He added: “On the Mekong River we have entirely cleared the island of Donesanot. 45 miles southeast of Savannkhet. On Friday last, units belonging to the French naval forces, during a cruise in the Gulf of Siam encountered Thai ships, two of which were sunk. A third was seriously damaged. The action was carried out without loss on the French side.

“French planes bombed the airfield at Prachinburi, and also hangars and barracks at Wadhama and Aranya, where a large fire was observed.

THAI VERSION. BANGKOK, January 20. The Thai High Command announced: “Our navy is engaged in operations to ‘destroy the Indo-China fleet, wherever they are hiding.’ U also said that heavy bombs squarely’ hit the French flagship Lamotte Piquet, and that she is believed to have been sunk. Thai forces “almost wiped out” the French Fifth Division on Saturday when there was a French mass attack in an unspecified sector. French planes raided Prachinburi, Chandabu, and other areas on Sun- : day, while Thai planes, as a reprisal, v made an attack at Siemreap on the L :aerodrome,, military warehouses and barracks. SAIGON, January 20. An American who examined the cruiser Lamotte Piquet, found it undamaged.