Virtual State Of War Exists In Java

Northern Advocate, 1 November 1945, Page 5

Virtual State Of War Exists In Java

British Take Off Gloves With Extremists Brig. Mallaby Murdered While Arranging Truce

(Received 11.20 a.m.) . BATAVIA, October 31. A VIRTUAL STATE OF WAR EXISTS IN JAVA BETWEEN THE BRITISH AND THE INDONESIAN EXTREMISTS SAYS THE EXCHANGE TELEGRAPH’S BATAVIA CORRESPONDENT. The British are expected to abandon the comparative kidglove methods they have so far adopted in the major task of disarming the Japanese. AH available British warships and aircraft are rushing to Sourabaya to evacuate European women and children.

R.A.F. Thunderbolts were ordered out of Batavia this afternoon and ordered to attack any Indonesian force attempting to cross a line outside Magelang (Central Java). A large force of armed Indonesians is advancing towards Magelang which is on the strategic road leading to Semarang, where serious trouble has already occurred.

way to investigate shootings and was killed by the mob. It still was not known how.

“Foully Murdered”

Two officers who escaped with the news apparently found their way to the port area this morning after being out all night and reported to the Navy, who passed on the message. Led by Axis Officers

Brigadier A. W. F. Mallaby. commander of the 49 lh Indian Inf anti y Brigade, which is the British occupying force in Sourabaya, was murdered at 6 p.m. yesterday while arranging details of the cease fire order in company with Indonesian leaders in Soura-Lieutenant-Gencral Sir Philip Christison. commander of the Allied forces in the Netherlands East Indies, said that Brigadier Mallaby had been “foully murdered.’’ General Christison added that the news was brought to headquarters by two Allied officeis who were with Brigadier Mallaby at the time and who escaped. Dr. Soekarno. the Indonesian Nationalist leader, was ordered to appear at General Christison s headquaiteis at 10.30 a.m. today. Asked whether Dr. Soekarno would be held responsible tor Brigadier Mallaoy s muider. General Christison replied: "Obviously.”

“Most Regretful”

The only Indonesian statement so far on the murder of Brigadier Mallaby came from Dr. Soekarno who, after he had seen General Christison. said to correspondents: "If Brigadier Mallaby is indeed dead I am most regretful.” Brigadier Mallaby’s forces began landing at Sourabaya last Thursday morning. At first his troops met with no opposition, but fighting broke out on Sunday when Indonesian extremists attacked. Yesterday afternoon a temporary truce was arranged by the commander of the Allied land forces in Java, Major-General Hawthorne and Dr. Soekarno. Afterward General Hawthorne and Dr. Soekarno left Sourabaya separately to return to Batavia. In spite of the truce desultory fighting still continued last night. . It was while arranging final details that Brigadier Mallaby met his death.

Soekarno Tries To Leave

Dr. „ Soekarno attempted 1o leave Batavia by air for an unknown destination this afternoon, but the British intelligence officers intercepted him at Batavia airport and instructed him, in future, to obey British orders. He is to broadcast tonight from Batavia radio. The script will be dictated by the British. Br. Soekarno announced that his Cabinet will meet the GovernorGeneral (Dr. van Mook) informally tonight in General Christison’s residence. Jolt for Whole Cause The Australian Associated Press correspondent reports that the whole Indonesian Cabinet and working committee held a number of meetings this afternoon at which the uppermost subject was the disquieting disorders culminating in Brigadier Mallaby’s death, which is testing the Cabinet’s claim to authority to the full and has given the whole Indonesian cause a tremendous jolt. • In an interview, Dr. Soekarno said he had promised General Christison frank co-operation with the British forces to maintain law and order.

“Sad Thing- for Us”

Dr. Soekarno added: “The smallest clash is enough to summon me to the spot and to deal with it myself,” M. Sjarifuddin interposed to say: “The outbreaks have been nonsensical, because we must co-operate with the British forces. There is no reason why we should fight them. It is a sad thing for us, because we parted in a spirit of goodwill after the conference at Sourabaya.” . , Dr. Soekarno said excitement had been caused by the thought thfft British forces had been sent as precursors of the Netherlands’ Indies civil administration. “I learnt, to my greatest regret after my return to Batavia, that fighting had been revived and Brigadier Mallaby, whose bravery I witnessed and honoured at Sourabaya, had become a victim of the disorders. We have ordered fighting to stop and shall take appropriate measures to master the situation, while I shall keep myself in closest co-opera-tion with the Allied army.”

A British army spokesman said no further news of the circumstances of Brigadier Mallaby’s death had been received. All that was known was that Brigadier Mallaby had passed through the Indonesian lines on his

The British Commander in Java (Lieut-General Christison) is reported as saying that many Indonesians, in the Sourabaya fighting, wore Japanese uniforms and some, if not all, were led by German or Japanese officers. Reports from Sourabaya say all is quiet there. Firing had ceased and regrouping for better protection of women and children in the Rapwi camps was proceeding. A clash developed between Gurkhas and Indonesians at Magelang, where there are three Rapwi camps. Dr. Soekarno and M. Sjarifuddin are flying there tomorrow morning to restore order. M. G. W. Dieuwhof, a Red Cross official who has just arrived at Batavia from The Hague, stated that nearly 90 per cent of the total of 250,000 Europeans in the Netherlands East Indies now are accounted for. This figure included former prisoners now awaiting evacuation from Bangkok, Singapore and Manila.