BIG JAPANESE MOVEMENTS

New Zealand Herald, Volume 79, Issue 24178, 21 January 1942, Page 7

BIG JAPANESE MOVEMENTS

STRONG ASSAULT APPEARS IMMINENT (Received January 20, 12.55 a.m.) LONDON', Jan. 20 A heavy movement of troops and vehicles all along the border of western Johore threatens an imminent resumption, in tremendous force, of the Japanese drive against Singapore, says the Singapore correspondent of the Daily Mail. The latest reports from the front indicate that the Australian troops are now within a few miles of Muar, on the west coast of Malaya, after cleaning up all the Japanese infiltration parties in the area to the south, says the Associated Press correspondent. The capture of Muar would remove the menace to the left flank of the forces holding the area to the east of Gemas, Advanced Australian units in the Muar area, which are more or less surrounded, drew up their guns and transports in a defensive circle, but a relief detachment arrived before the expected Japanese attack. The advance on Muar was then continued. The Australian Minister of the-Army, Mr. Forde, to-day cabled to the Commander of the Australian Forces in Malaya, MajorGeneral H. Gordon Bennett, that he would not only continue to press for adequate air support for the Australians in Malaya, but would also try to reinforce their land strength. The Vichy news agency, quoting the Saigon radio, says th# Japanese are launching violent attacks on Java.