FAR EAST FRONTS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 24790, 15 December 1941, Page 5

FAR EAST FRONTS

FIGHTING IN MALAYA AIR BATTLES OVER PENANG ENEMY PLANES DESTROYED - • (Rec. 11 p.m.) ( LONDON, Dec. 13. It is stated authoritatively in London that some withdrawal of British forces in Malaya has taken place in Kedah and that there were further air raids in Penang yesterday. In North-east Malaya there has been very little change and there is no confirmation of further Japanese landings on the east coast. Air successes are reported in the latest Singapore communique, which states that fighting continued on the Kedah front and that there was little change in, the situation. Our ground troops shot down one enemy bomber in the Kedah area. There is no change in the Helantan area. Some successes have been obtained in the air to-day. In a, battle over Penang, three of our aircraft engaged and destroyed one enemy aircraft, while two others are believed to have been destroyed. In another area three more of our fighters engaged an unspecified number of enemy aircraft and two were shot down. Observer posts later reported that a third had crashed. All of our planes returned safely. A further enemy plane has also been shot down, bringing the day’s total to five destroyed. ■ > Since the commencement of hostilities, our A.A. defences have accounted for eight enemy aircraft with the probability of one more. A Singapore communique states that the general situation in north Malaya remained unaltered in the past 12 hours. RAIDS ON MANILA AREA (Rec. 11 p.m.) WASHINGTON, Dec. 13. A war communique states: “In the Philippines, Japanese air activity continued throughout yesterday with raids on the Manila area and ■ Davao. Attempted Japanese landings on-Luzon were repulsed south of Vigan, north of San Fernando, and at Lingayen. Operations of enemy parachutists were reported at Tuguegaro and Hagan, in. the extreme north and north-west of Luzon. Some enemy troops landed in the vicinity of Ligaspi, in the extreme south of Luzon. Previous reports of enemy naval concentrations to the west of Amberles province, on the west coast of Luzon, are confirmed.” . ' It is stated officially that the Japanese landing forces which gained a foothold at Lingayen, on the west coast of Luzon, 100 miles from Manila, have been wiped out. According to an American broadcast, the officer commanding the United States forces in the Philippines stated that mopping up operations in the Lingayen area of Luzon have bee'n completed. The Japanese have made no new gains on the landing bridgehead they have established, and no new landings have been carried out.

HEAVY PRICE PAID THE LUZON LANDINGS JAPANESE PARACHUTISTS HUNDREDS WIPED OUT (Rec. 11 p.m.) MANILA, Dec. 13. A communique issued at 7.55 a.m. (local time) states that operations against the Japanese are proceeding at the three Luzon landing points—Aparri, Vigan, and Ligaspi. Otherwise the situation is unchanged. The Manila representative of the Associated Press of Great Britain says hundreds of Japanese parachutists and land troops have been wiped out in the mountains, in north and central Luzon. An eye-witness said that Japanese parachutists carried small gasolene tanks, presumably for incen-

ATTACK ON CANTON CHINESE AIRCRAFT LIFTING HONGKONG PRESSURE TROOP CONCENTRATIONS (Rec. 11 p.m.) CHUNGKING, Dec. 13. It is reported that Chinese planes have attacked Canton. This is possibly the prelude to a drive to recapture Canton, which is believed to be the base from which the Japanese are bombing Hongkong. - Chinese forces are massed along the border of French Indo-China prepared to move in if necessary. They are making other huge concentrations towards Burma; says the correspondent of the Associated Press.

diary usage. The Filipinos fought vigorously and bravely. Many parachutists were killed while dangling in the air, and others were captured upon landing. The Japanese were outnumbered and Anally surrendered. Several large squadrons of Japanese bombers attacked objectives on the fringe of Manila early on Saturday afternoon. A three-miie area bordering the Nichols airAeld showed blackened ruins of more than 100 small residences and stores where Japanese bombs killed at least 75 people and wounded 300. The Japanese both overshot and undershot the airAeld objective in their most destructive raid so far on Manila. The city’s death roll now exceeds 100.

The Chinese press predicted a full dress Allied attack on Japan in February, “ when Japan will fade as quickly as the cherry blossoms begin to bloom.”