LARGE ARMY

Grey River Argus, 9 October 1941, Page 5

LARGE ARMY

TO DEFEND MALAYA Whether U.S.A. Helps or Not [Aus. & N.Z. Cable Assn.] (Rec. 8.40) SINGAPORE, Oct. 7. General Percival, British G.O.C. hi Malaya, talking with the press, emphasised that difficulty was being caused by a shipping shortage in the maintaining of the present large army throughout Malaya. He said that increases made in the forces in Malaya recently meant the diversion of shipping that was urgently needed elsewhere, while, now, these increased forces imposed a greater strain on the shipping space because they needed greater supplies. General Percival denied that the shipping shortage had retarded, or was retarding, the preparations for the defence of Malaya. Replying to American correspondents’ question, he said that Britain could, and would, hold Malaya, whether help was forthcoming from any other nation, or not. Referring generally' to the defence plans, he said that, profiting by the experience in Greece and Crete, the troops were being trained to deal with parachutists The army of Malaya would see that bases for the navy ana the air force were defended and held. ICHANG BATTLE CHUNGKING, October 7. The military spokesman announced that Chinese armies launched a coun-ter-offensive and entered Ichang, where fighting is occurring in streets. Huge fires raging at Ichang might indicate that the Japanese are abandoning the city.