Huge Force Needed To Attack Malaya

Manawatu Times, Volume 66, Issue 103, 2 May 1941, Page 8

Huge Force Needed To Attack Malaya

COMMANDER CONFIDENT SINGAPORE, April 30. Declaring in an interview to-day that the defences of Malaya were growing stronger every day, Air Chief Marshal Sir Robert BrookcPopham, British Commander-in-Chief in the Far East, added that an enemy attempting an attack would be in for a very sticky time—in fact, the resistance would be such that a tremendous force would be necessary to secure a footing at all. Malaya and Singapore, he said, were prepared for the possibility of interrupted communications. If the enemy succeeded in isolating Malaya, then they would live on their accumulated resources, for which full provision had been made. The Netherlands East Indies, said Sir Robert, would certainly^ght if attacked, and he was confident that their army, navy, and air force would put up a fine show. Sir Robert said that to pass by Singapore to invade Australia was hardly a practicable proposition. Lieutenant - General Bond, Com-mander-in-Chief in Malaya, said to-day that a threat of invasion of Malaya definitely existed, and that it would be foolish to think otherwise, but the defences had been tremendously increased, and during the past two years not only Singapore Island had been garrisoned, but there were now troops throughout the peninsula. Reinforcements seemed to arrive by almost every ship.