LATE NEWS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 24890, 14 April 1942, Page 6

LATE NEWS

JAPANESE WARSHIPS LARGE FORCE IN INDIAN OCEAN (Rec. 2 a.m.) LONDON, Apl. 13. Speaking in the House of Commons to-day, the Prime Minister, Mr Churchill, said that superior Japanese naval forces, consisting of two battleships, five aircraft-carriers, and a number of heavy and light cruisers and destroyers were sighted in the Indian Ocean on April 1. Aircraft from these forces were responsible for the raids on Colombo and Trincomalee. The cruisers Dorsetshire and Cornwall and the aircraft-carrier Hermes left Trincomalee before the air raid on the base, Mr Churchill said, and were sunk at sea. The Government had complete confidence in the naval commander. Admiral Sir James Somerville, and nothing that had happened had impaired that confidence. In answer to a question, Mr Churchill said it was impossible to afford air protection to all British ships at sea. For instance, if the convoy system were to be carried on, some ships had to be at sea at times without air protection. Mr Churchill also said that the War Cabinet had received the report on the Malayan campaign prepared by Major-general Gordon Bennett, but it was not considered advisable to publish it in the meantime, THE FINNISH FRONT VIOLENT FIGHTING REPORTED (Rec. 1.30 a.m.) LONDON, Apl. 13. In Russia fighting has again flared up on the Finnish front. A formation of 15 German bombers, with an escort of 13 fighters, was intercepted by six Russian fighters near Murmansk. The Russians rammed three of the German machines, after which the rest dropped their bombs at random and turned away. The Finnish high command reports violent fighting on the central and northern fronts and claims that Russian attacks supported by tanks and aircraft wefe repulsed.