LATE NEWS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 24817, 17 January 1942, Page 8

LATE NEWS

FIGHTING IN MALAYA ENEMY’S HEAVY CASUALTIES (Rec. 2 a.m.) LONDON, Jan. 16. The latest Singapore communique describes the land fighting in Malaya. It states that heavy casualties have been inflicted on the enemy and that planes of the Far East Command have carried out heavy bombing attacks on enemy targets. Some contact has been made with enemy troops on the west front, where the situation is unchanged. In Negri Simbilan, where the Australian troops are in action, the Japanese casualties were very heavy, when, following an initial advance, they suffered a sharp reverse. The Australians wrecked 14 tanks and 10 other armoured vehicles which the enemy was using in the advance.

Reuter’s Singapore correspondent says: “ The news that the Australians have gone into action at this critical stage acted like a tonic to the tired British troops.” A Batavia message states that after Tarakan was occupied by the Japanese one Dutch coastal battery sank two Japanese destroyers and one lahding sloop. An anti-aircraft battery shot down a seaplane. All the battexdes, searchlights, and other arms were destroyed before the Japanese over-ran the place. HEAVILY ATTACKED HAMBURG AND EMDEN (Rec. 2 a.m.) LONDON, Jan. 16. Hamburg and Emden were the main targets of the R.A.F. last night for the second night in succession. The attacks on these objectives, as well as others in north-west Germany and occupied territory, were made in force. BOMBS ON RABAUL (Rec. 2 a.m.) SYDNEY, Jan. 16. The Minister for Air, Mr A. S. Drakeford, said to-night that bombs were dropped by the Japanese in the vicinity of Rabaul this afternoon. Details of the damage have not been received.