FURTHER LANDINGS ON SINGAPORE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 24838, 11 February 1942, Page 5

FURTHER LANDINGS ON SINGAPORE

DESPERATE FIGHTING SERIOUS SITUATION ENEMY'S CRUSHING NUMBERS (Rec. 0.30 a.m.) LONDON, Feb. 10. v The Japanese have succeeded in making 'further landings on the island of Singapore. "Desperate fighting is in progress/' states the Australian official war correspondent, "but it is the old story of huge numbers crushing thinly-Held lines." .< . : The latest despatches from Singapore reveal that the enemy last night landed forces on the northern side of the island, just west of the ruined causeway. The Japanese :,:'■;•:. maintained continuous dive-bombing and machine-gun attacks, as well as many high-level bombings, on our positions throughout the day. Heavy pressure on our line and continued infiltration by the enemy, In spite of stout resistance, forced a withdrawal of our forces. There was. fierce; shelling of the northern areas of the island, and the Japanese claim to have-completed the capture of Tenga Aerodrome, one of the four important air bases on the island. The Japanese also claim to be in possession of both banks of the Tenga River.

A special communique issued by the Singapore command early this morning admits that there has been a further withdrawal of our: troops owing to strong enemy attacks supplemented by dive-bombing and machine-gunning * from the ; air throughout the. day. In there has been: Keayy enerny, bombardment. ••*'. " i; "The military position at Singapore Island late this r ■ afternoon can only be ■ described as serious," says the official Australian, war correspondent, Sergeant lan Fitchett, : '>:v'';^e:>Japahese- i '>landihgs under intense artillery fire soon had our forward trouble, and they had to fall back," the correspondent add?; : /•'ln 'desperate early morning fighting party after party found thdr way put cut 'off, and infantry, gunners and anti-tank men joined together,,tb.iget themselves and,their gear but. Reinforcements of Indians as well as further Australians were rushed to the area, but dawn gave lightforthe enemy bombers again, and they have been at it all day. ■'"""" biirfighter aircraft made a gallant effort to aid our troops, but beyond artillery fire we, can do. little to prevent the enemy's flow of ' boats from the mainland.; Our troops have done their best all day." ; -The TokiO radio claims that the Japanese, advancing under the protection of heavy artillery fire, reached, a nine miles from the City of Singapore.

JAPANESE REPORTS LANDED CAPTURE OF AERODROME (Rec. 11.50 p.m.) LONDON, Feb. 10. „.The Oslo- ra dio, quoting a Tokio claim, says ..that Japanese parachutists this mbrning ; * occupied part of a big British aerodrome in western Singapore.; The Japanese forces moved forward on the peninsula for some kilometres, and were now engaging British armoured units.' The Japanese fleet was ready to attack near Singapore. Further landings of troops were made on the northern and north-west coasts of Singapore Island. The Tokio radio claimed the capture of Tengah airport in north-west Singapore'"--;; - A Singapore message states that there; -were air'battles over the Singapore "area yesterday morning. It is understood that one Japanese bomber was, "destroyed and that six figtyers were damaged. All our planes returned safely. . A fourth aii 1 rsiid took place in the afternoon,:but the city, according •■ a correspondent, ..was untouched. From • roof-top observation post the attack appeared to be directed against the north-rwest-area of the island. .The, gunfire-on Sunday night was a continuous roar which rattled windows and; shelters;■; throughout the: island. Thousands Of shells' must have been fired. Some fell in the outskirts of the city. 4 Although it was evident that the barrage was a prelude to an attempted landing, few expected an attack so soon. Chinese volunteers who received their, baptism of fire stood up to it with the calmness of old campaigners. :■-•■" -■■■" "The situation on the island is well in hand," said' General Gordon Bennett in an interview yesterday. "We have taken a stand on a strong line, and are organising an attack which it is hoped will recover as much as possible of the lost terrain." ATTACKS IN PHILIPPINES RUGBY, Feb. 9. The continued repulse of Japanese attacks in the Philippines is the substance of a United States War Department communique, which states: " concealed heavy batteries which have been firing at our harbour defences from the Cavite shore have been located and attacked by counterbattery fire from' our forts. Several direct hits were observed and some enemy batteries were silenced.. " Heavy infantry fighting occurred intermittently at various points of the Batan Peninsula. The enemy made several attempts at penetration and infiltration, all the attacks being repulsed. Hostile dive-bombers were active over our lines. There is nothing to report from the other areas."

; FIRST LANDING OFFICIAL ACCOUNT AIR AND ARTILLERY SUPPORT .* ' ( ■ RUGBY, Feb. 9. i.'A Singapore communique states: ''The enemy landing from boats on the north-west coast of the island took place between Sungei Kranji and Pasir Laba between 11 o'clock last night and 1 a.m, this morning. The landing'was preceded by heavy enemy artillery bombardment of our forward positions in this area, and from daybreak was supported by considerable numbers of fighter and bomber aircraft. "Our forward troops were pushed back in some places asd there has been some enemy infiltration eastwards. Offensive action was taken to mop up the enemy. "Elsewhere on the island the enemy is continuing to dive-bomb and shell pur forward positions. Hurricane fighters of the R.A.F., supporting our troops successfully, intercepted enemy raiders to-day, destroying three, probably destroying three others, and damaging 13. In the first raid this morning one army 97 bomber was destroyed and two army 97 bombers, one navy 9 fighter, and three other two-engined bombers damaged. In the second raid two enemy aircraft were destroyed, three probably destroyed, and seven damaged, In a later patrol our fighter aircraft wrecked an enemy lorry during a road strafe. From all these operations our fighters returned to their base without loss. "During the last two days our defences have shot down two enemy airCraft for certain. Reports now received show that during previous periods not reported a further five aircraft were shot down for certain and four probably. The totals to date are 73 certainties and 27 probables." Further despatches show that after heavy shelling of the sector the Japanese gunners shortened their range and maintained an intense drum-roll pounding of the mudflat beaches. The Japanese were seen at the height, of the bombardment moving across the Straits of Johore in boats and rafts. The British batteries immediately opened up a fast and furious cannonade, but, aided by the dim light from the rising half moon, the Japanese crossed the straits and succeeded in landing. Then they moved into the rubber trees, where . close-quarter actions are being fought with the Imperial troops, including Australians and Chinese.

.It is authoritatively stated that there is no confirmation of the Tokio claim that the Japanese landed tanks.