SIEGE OF SINGAPORE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 24836, 9 February 1942, Page 5

SIEGE OF SINGAPORE

INCREASED ACTIVITY ENEMY LANDING ON ISLET R.A.F. USING NEW BASES (Rec. 11.30 p.m.) LONDON, Feb. 8. The Singapore communique reports increased enemy air and artillery activity, directed mainly against the northern part of the island. One of our ; ; p atrol vessels encountered: an enemy patrol boat in the Strait of Johore, and sank the boat with 30 men. Working parties in Johore province were engaged by. our artillery and dispersed. Japanese: forces are .reported to have landed on an island in the eastern end of Johore Straits. In air engagements oyer Singapore R.A.F. fighters probably destroyed one bomber and severely damaged two others. All our planes returned safely. "Just because we do not see many of our planes overhead and naval units operating it does not mean that the air force and the navy have abandoned Singapore," said Major-general A. E. Percival, commander of the forces at Singapore, in a statement issued to-day. "The air force has gone to places from which to bomb the Japanese bases just as effectively. The navy is doing a lot of work around Singapore Island arid the Malayan shores in difficult circumstances." , Major-general Percival added that as many women as possible were being sent away, so that there would be fewer to feed. Civilians were being removed; from certain areas with the object of giving the" troops freedom of action and remove the possibility of Fifth Column activity in the forward areas. Some of the personnel and the stores and equipment had been removed from the Singapore naval base, and from several airfields, because they were unable to operate under direct shellfire. ■. , ■ Many hundreds of newly-trained Chinese troops have taken up positions in Singapore. The 12: leaders sent from Chungking are the key men of an ever-growing force. The Chinese have received a warm welcome from the British and Australian troops. The Tokio radio says'that the British forces have poured oil on the Strait of Johore with a view to raising a wall of fire if a landing by the Japanese is attempted.