British Fleet Is Ready to Sail For Singapore

Northern Advocate, 24 August 1945, Page 7

British Fleet Is Ready to Sail For Singapore

(Received 11.45 a.m.) LONDON, August 23. MAJOR UNITS OF THE BRITISH EAST INDIES FLEET ARE m AWAITING; ORDERS TO STEAM DOWN MALACCA STRAIT AND OCCUPY THE GREAT NAVAL BASE AT SINGAPORE BESIDES VARIOUS POINTS ON THE MALAY PENINSULA AND OTHER JAPANESE-HELD TERRITORY, REPORTS REUTER’S COLOMBO CORRESPONDENT. Before the British Fleet can safely negotiate Malacca Strait, minesweepers will clear the 700 mile long channel leading to Singapore. The commander of the Japanese forces in Burma has confirmed the cease fire order in a message to the Allied commanders. The message came at 10.30 a.m. today (Rangoon time) and is the first direct contact the Allies have had with the Japanese command in Burma. The surrender of the Japanese in Far-East Asia will present the South-east Asia Command with nranv problems. A headquarters officer said yesterday that the food problem was serious, for besides 80,000 prisoners and civilian internees there are hundreds of thousands of Allied and Japanese troops who will have to be fed. A mes-

sage from General Kimura said that owing to the difficulty of communications he was unable to give a guarantee that his instructions had reached formations in Burma north of the Shwegyinpapun line. .He was not prepared to accept responsibility for their action. Kimura proposed that Allied soldiers should “feel” sectors which he was unable to contact bv radio.