FIGHTING IN JAVA

Greymouth Evening Star, 11 December 1945, Page 5

FIGHTING IN JAVA

ATTACK ON CONVOY BRITISH CASUALTIES BATAVIA, December 10. In the sharpest fighting in western Java since the Japanese surrender, one British officer and one private, and 14 Indians were killed when Indonesians attacked a convoy travelling from Batavia to Bandoeng last night. The convoy called for air support, after which fighters strafed the Indonesians and dropped medical supplies. Over 1300 Dutch women and children have been evacuated from Ambarawa in the last two days. British troops advancing against Indonesian positions have run into stiff resistance south of Sourabaya. The British garrison at Bandoeng in the centre of the island, is being reinforced. Reuter’s correspondent in Batavia reports that a grenade landed on the Batavia airfield and burst 15 yards from a group of Allied officers. There were no casualties, but the Allies have taken a serious view of the incident as the Batavia airfield is busy with the movement of women and children refugees and troops. “Indonesian extremists have abducted nearly 150 Dutch and Eurasian internees from Bandoeng in the last few days,” said a British Army spokesman. “The internees have been living in the southern part of the city, which is held by the Indonesians. Indian troops arrived too late to rescue the internees, but 500 refugees from other parts of the city have been taken to a safe area.” BRITISH VICTIMS. SINGAPORE, December 9. Admiral Mountbatten’s headquarters has recalled all British Red Cioss girls from Java and Sumatra, following the murder by Indonesians of a British officer and a Red Cross girl at Padang. Two of the murderers have been arrested and the identity of others is known. The victims were dragged from a jeep, murdered, and buried in a prepared grave. CENSORSHIP^DF NEWS. NEW YORK, December 10. “Although I have been in London during the last few weeks, I could not give an accurate estimate of the British public’s reaction to events in Indonesia,” says the Columbia Broadcasting Service’s chief European correspondent, who has just returned to New York from London. ‘ The reporting is confused, but mainly it is because the British public has not been told the facts. “During the last week only one reference has appeared in the British Press to the fact that Britain is using Japanese troops in and round Bandoeng. I heard no mention of it over the radio. There is no editorial comment. The British public has been told that the British forces are in Indonesia to disarm the Japanese and rescue internees, and now belatedly there has been added to that a statement that they are there to preserve order* “The British public has not been told the facts because the London editors and broadcasters have not discharged their responsibility. £here has been heavy censorship at the source, but the facts are known. It is also known, and not published, that the British commanders in Indonesia are facing increasing problems of discipline with British and Indian troops.” 1