UNDERGROUND WARFARE

Pahiatua Herald, Volume XLXI, Issue 15076, 23 June 1942, Page 3

UNDERGROUND WARFARE

DUTCH GUERRILLA FORCES HARASS JAPg IN INDIES LEADER’S SECRET SYDNEY VISIT. United Press Assn.—By Electric Telegraph—Cooyright - SYDNEY. June 22. An officer of the regular Dutch army who is the leader of the guerrilla forces still fighting the Japanese in the Netherlands East Indies made a secret visit to Australia to report. He lias now returned to his guerrilla troops. His visit has teen revealed by the Dutch authorities who state that the officer told a story of ceaseless underground warfare. The guerrillas had ample supplies and methods of replenishing them. The officer is said to have come from one of the smaller islands in a group on which the Japanese landed with a force at least ten times that of the defenders who comprised both Dutch and Indonesian troops. The defenders then made a hazardous retreat to planned positions in the hinterland. The march through dense jungle and along narrow mountain, tracks took eight days and nights—a nightmare period wh,en th© men had little food and lest and no medicines. The Japanese forces mad© ea-rly efforts to penetrate inland, the Dutch officer said, but after having been repulsed with considerable losses they gave up bush fighting* Their later activities consisted of writing naive letters to the guerrilla leader demanding the surrender of his forces. They also supplied guns to the natives and local Chinese, offering a reward of £25 for each guerilla member killed. However, those bandits were mostly shot before they could do much harm. The guerrillas made frequent devastating sorties against Japanese posts and kept the invaders in a highly apprehensive state. By their activities the Japanese were confined to the main roads and the more settled areas

In addition to inflicting losses the guerrillas gathered much useful information about the Japanese forces and carried on effective counterpropaganda work among the natives. Apart from the proceeds of their raids tli© guerrillas lived on rice, corned beef and occasional fresh meat. However, their spirits were high and their determination to continue the struggle unyielding.