Japanese Planes Bomb Nauru, Ocean Islands

Northern Advocate, 9 December 1941, Page 5

Japanese Planes Bomb Nauru, Ocean Islands

Warships Ring Guam Base; Manila Under Bombardment State Of War With Axis Powers Exists Rome ('Received 2.30 p.m.) WASHINGTON, December 8. BROADCASTING FROM MANILA, THE NATIONAL BROADCASTING COMPANY STATES THAT JAPANESE PLANES HAVE BOMBED NAURU AND OCEAN ISLANDS, WHICH ARE OPERATED BY THE BRITISH PHOSPHATE COMMISSION. The Japanese radio at Taihoku (Formosa) broadcast that Japanese warships had surrounded Guam and all big buildings were ■on fire. According to a Manila message the Pan-American airways base at Guam Island, the Pacific Cable Company’s office were heavily strafed. Planes came down almost to ground level. The National Broadcasting Company says the Japanese are bombarding Manila. According to the United Press correspondent at Manila approximately 200 people, of whom 60 were Americans, were killed today in a Japanese air raid on Tba, on the west coast of Luzon. ©as Used At §liifgap®ffe In the raids on .Singapore yesterday morning two waves of enemy bombers came over. There were six machines in the first wave and five in the second, the planes Hying at 17,000 feet. An unofficial statement, not confirmed, alleges that the Japanese dropped mustard gas bombs. Hongkong was bombed twice this morning. Japanese land forces attacked at dawn. The British garrison has blown up roads and Hie railway. The situation is developing as expected. The Rome radio said that in accordance with the Tripartite Pact the Japanese declaration means the existence of a state of war between the Axis ancl the United States. A Tokio message says the navy section at the Imperial headquarters claimed that two American battleships had been sunk and four others damaged. Imperial headquarters claimed that a Japanese submarine sank an American aircraft-carrier off Honolulu. 'The D'omei agency reports that American naval losses so far are the battleships Oklahoma and Pennsylvania, an aircraft-carrier, two destroyers and two tankers. Early U.So Sea tS@tlta®iks Tt is claimed that four heavy cruisers were damaged in Pearl Harbour by Japanese naval bombers during yesterday’s attack. The statement said there were no Japanese losses. Tt is officially stated that several Japanese submarines and planes were destroyed yesterday by the Americans. Active resistance is still continuing in the vicinity of Hawaii. The commander of the United States Asiatic Fleet (Admiral T. G. Hart) announced that a small contingent of American marines at Pciping and the gunboat Wake at Shanghai had been forced to surrender. According to a message from New York the National Broadcasting Company said the United States aircraft-carrier Langley w.as reported unofficially from Manila to have been damaged in action with Japanese forces. Tokio says that 63 American marines guarding the United ■States consulate at Tientsin have been captured and disarmed. The Columbia radio states that Japanese planes attacked Singapore and sank two cruisers. sS@® Casualties White House, in a statement, said the damage caused to United lStat<\s forces at Oahu Island, Hawaii, yesterday was more serious than was at first believed. It is officially announced in Washington that casualties at Oahu as the result of yesterday’s Japanese air attack totalled about 3000, 1500 being fatal. A number of bombers arrived safely from San Francisco during the engagement. Reinforcements of planes are being rushed, and repair work is under way on ships, planes and ground facilities.

Fiendish Accuracy The bombardment of Manila, according to the N.8.C., was made from the air. The points attacked included Fort William, McKinley and the Nicholas