ARMY HEADS CONFER

Southland Times, Issue 24651, 24 January 1942, Page 5

ARMY HEADS CONFER

MEETING HELD IN MALAYA HINT OF IMPORTANT DECISIONS (Rec. 8 p.m.) SINGAPORE, Jan. 22. Decisions profoundly affecting the future of the fighting in North Johore are believed to have been taken at a conference of generals held at a rubber plantation in Malaya on Wednesday. Major-General Gordon Bennett, the Australian commander, indicated to interviewers that he was anxious concerning the Imperial left flank in the Moar area. These troops are now fighting a tense action. The Japanese have brought up fresh picked troops to this area, and the fighting has reached a vital stage. The position of the Imperial troops on the northern and western fronts have undergone little change. Fighting is still proceeding on the western sector and fighting has begun on the east coast area to which the enemy is believed to have filtered from points to the north. The Australians ambushed a Japanese party causing heavy casualties. There is apparently, increasing contact in this area with the possibility of the Japanese developing a second thrust. An Indian force holding a section of the northern front successfully ambushed Japanese bicycle troops and killed 30. Japanese infiltration tactics are still proving effective in some sections. They have apparently abandoned attempts to break through in the north and have turned aside in an endeavour to by-pass down the coast by disappearing into the jungle in small parties and reappearing behind the lines. HEAVY FIGHTING An official communique from Singapore states: “In north-east Johore there has been contact north of Mersing between enemy parties pushing south from Endau and our troops, who successfully ambushed part of the enemy, and inflicted a number of casualties with slight loss to ourselves. In the west heavy fighting continues in the Bukit Payong area. Some patrol activity has been reported in the area of Batu Pahat. “Yesterday afternoon aircraft carried out a successful attack on enemy motor transport north of Parit Bulong. A number of bombs hit the roadway among vehicles, many of which were destroyed or damaged. The remainder of the convoy was machine-gunned from a low altitude. This morning another attack was made on enemy mechanized transport in the same area. A number of vehicles were completely wrecked and others were damaged. Machine-gun attacks were carried out on staff cars and lorries.” Mention in this Singapore communique of enemy parties pushing south from Endau is taken in authoritative quarters in London to indicate that a further slight withdrawal on the east coast of Malaya has been made by the British forces, since the latest information had indicated that Endau was still in British hands. It is announced in London that among the regiments fighting in Malaya are the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders, the East Surreys and the Leicesters, as well as the Royal Marines, Indian infantry and light armoured units. RAIDS ON SINGAPORE According to an agency message from Singapore, it has been officially stated that 58 persons were killed and 170 injured in the raids on Singapore on Thursday. J Japanese bombs have almost demolished the principal Catholic church at

Singapore. Other churches have suffered severely, the Court House has been wrecked and many other public buildings and two schools have received direct bomb hits.