LATE NEWS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 24833, 5 February 1942, Page 6

LATE NEWS

ROMMEL'S ADVANCE NOW NEARING DERNA (Rec. 2 a.m.) CAIRO, Feb. 4. Field Marshal Rommel's tank columns are reported to have reached a point midway between Cyrene and Derna. It was announced in Cairo to-day that the 4th Indian Division had successfully completed its delaying action, and has now rejoined our main forces. A major battle has not yet developed. ENEMY RAIDS ON JAVA t DUTCH AIRCRAFT LOSSES (Rec. 2 a.m.) LONDON, Feb. 4. It was stated in Batavia to-day that from 70 to 80 Japanese bombers, protected by fighters, carried out the attack on Java yesterday. The enemy lost eight fighters and two bombers. The Dutch losses are stated to have been "considerable, more planes than pilots being lost." JAPANESE IN BURMA HEAVILY ATTACKED FROM AIR RANGOON, (Rec. 2 a.m.) Feb. 4. British and American bombers and fighters to-day carried out a devastating attack on the Japanese invasion forces at the mouth of the Salween river, north-east of Moulmein. All the machines returned unscathed.

RAIDS OVER SINGAPORE MANY CIVILIAN CASUALTIES (Rec. 2 a.m.) SINGAPORE, Feb. 4.Enemy planes made a number of raids on Singapore Island, some damage being done. There were a few military casualties. Our" antiaircraft guns from Saturday to today shot down two and probably three enemy planes. A Singapore correspondent -reports that a small formation of Japanese bombers unloaded their bombs over the city area this morning. Civilian casualties in yesterday's raid totalled 70 killed and over 200 injured.