British Troops Pressing Home Attacks in Sourabaya

Manawatu Times, Volume 70, Issue 269, 14 November 1945, Page 7

British Troops Pressing Home Attacks in Sourabaya

Smoking Ruins in Centre of City Dutch Forces Not Yet Given Permission to Land United Press Assn.—By Electric Telegraph.—Copyright. Received Wednesday, 1.10 a.m. BATAVIA, Nov. 13. Behind a screen of artillery, British Indian troops today were pressing home their attacks among the smoking ruins in the centre of Sourabaya, says Reuter’s Batavia correspondent. The centre of the city was ablaze last night from artillery fire and the sky was lit up by the glare from an 8000-ton Japanese ship which had been set on fire while a Japanese working squad was preparing it for the evacuation of Japanese. British aircraft have been encountering unexpected opposition, many returning from missions with bullet holes. The Indonesians have been machinegunning, sniping and using Japanese 75’s and mortars. A communique issued in Batavia stated that Indian troops advanced in Sourabaya yesterday to a general line from the Hotel Sourabaya to the telegraph office and the Hotel Grand. The British casualties were seven Indian soldiers. Snipers wounded ode British officer and one Indian.

Authoritative reports quoted hy the Netherlands News Agency state that the British have not yet given permission to Dutch forces to land in the Netherlands East Indies. The 22,000ton liner Alcantara arrived at Singapore to-day with more than 3200 Dutch troops aboard, while the New Amsterdam, with about the same number, has left Colombo and is probably calling at Singapore. Armed Indonesians fleeing irom Major-General Mansergh's British Indian troops are taking to the hills as the Filth Indian Division closes in. The centre of Sourabaya is now almost completely under Allied control, says the Dally .Mail’s correspondent. It is officially stated that the British casualties in the three days’ lighting have been “very light.” Dr. Soebardjo, broadcasting over the British-controlled Batavia radio, said the Sourabaya tragedy had been caused by the British failure to understand the Indonesians’ fear that the British were preparing the way for the Dutch to return. He suggested as a solution that the British Command should give an assurance that Dutch forces would not be returned to Indonesia under British protection. Dr. Soebardjo added that the Indonesian republic was fully ready to help the British to disarm and remove the Japanese troops and evacuate prisoners and internees. A message from Bombay says Mr. Jinnah issued a statement demanding j the immediate removal of Indian troops; from Indonesia. He also urged tnc j Indonesians to meet in conference to \ negotiate a settlement, in which he, promised the help of the Moslem League. xne Minister of State (Mr. NoelBaker) told the House of Commons that, while serious incidents had occurred elsewhere in Java, reinforcements continued to arrive in Sourabaya. Asked whether Britain intended to consult the Allies, Mr. Noel-Baker said: “It seems co me that the most desirable thing is to secure an agreement among those on the spot. We hope that law and order will be restored with the least possible bloodshed.” He added that it had been hoped to arrange a meeting between Dr Van Mook and Dr. Soekamo last Thursday, but before the meeting could be held Dr. Soekarno had found it necessary to go into the interior. However, Dr. Van Mook had again agreed to meet Dr. i Soekarno. “The Java situation should be recognised as a successful Japanese attempt to lower the prestige of the Western people,” says the Daily Mail in an editorial. Calling for a detailed explanatory review of events, it says: “It is a lingering remnant of the Japanese war which the Americans should regard as such. They would serve their own long-term interests better by taking a fair share of the burden instead oi adopting a ’holier than thou’ attitude.” The editorial adds: “We could not leave Dutch women and children to the mercy of the Indonesians. The bloodshed in Java is over the heads of exteremist3; yet, when that is said, it is still true that we have succeeded in getting ourselves into a thoroughly false position. We have become mixed up in somebody else’s civil war and are getting nothing but blame from both sides. The British are reincurring the odium of crushing a colonial people’s legitimate aspirations. This, if happening in the British Empire, would be j bad enough, but Java is a Dutch baby.j Why should we be left to hold it?” The Indonesians have committed Atrocities against Allied troops and civilians who have fallen into their hands, said a senior officer of the 49th Brigade, which was commanded by Brigadier Mallaby. The officer said the Indonesians dismembered wounded Indian troops, burned women and children and attacked hospitals clearly marked with the Bed Cross. The Dutch News Agency reports that the mutilated bodies of British and Indian troops, roped together, have been found floating in a river. Mobs in Sourabaya had arrested Europeans at will and had handed some over to the exteremists, who had killed them with spears and bayonets.