Late News DUTCH FIGHT DOURLY

Southland Times, Issue 24685, 5 March 1942, Page 5

Late News DUTCH FIGHT DOURLY

STUBBORN DEFENCE IN JAVA (Rec. 2 a.m.) LONDON, March 4. It is officially announced from Netherlands East Indies headquarters in Java that the enemy has made some headway in his invasion of the island in spite of the most stubborn resistance. No details are given. A Netherlands spokesman in London said that the position in Java was bitter and hard. The loss of two Dutch cruisers in the battle with the invasion fleet of the Japanese was a crippling blow to Allied sea power in the Pacific. Bandoeng, now the headquarters of the Netherlands East Indies Government, was raided again today. The raid was the heaviest yet made on the city. Already many stories have been told of heroic deeds of Dutch soldiers who are apparently fighting with the greatest fury in the Bantam area. A Dutch engineer allowed a number of Japanese tanks to enter a bridge, then blew up the bridge, tanks and himself. An armed motorist drove at full speed head on into a. light tank, disabled the enemy vehicle and himself died of injuries. A soldier loaded with hand grenades awaited an approaching enemy tank, jumped at the tank and blew himself up with it. On the other hand the Japanese are seemingly trying to terrorize the population or making grievous mistakes in the selection of their objectives. They bombed and machine-gunned a private estate near Tangerang, west of Batavia, and killed 17 and seriously wounded 12. Reports disclose that part of the populations of Indoesian villages in the front zones insist on remaining in their homes. It is also reported that the main destruction in Java is now completed, but it is emphasized that no foodstuffs had been destroyed or will be destroyed. Civilians have been advised not to destroy personal possessions .without an official order. ANOTHER RAID ON DARWIN (Rec. 2 a.m.) CANBERRA, March 4. The Australian Prime Minister (Mr J, Curtin) announced that Darwin was raided again today. So far no details of the raid have been announced. The raid was carried out by Japanese fighters. WAVELL’S_SUCCESSOR ! (Rec. 2 a.m.) LONDON, March 4. The New York correspondent of the Daily Express believes that General MacArthur is likely to become General Wavell’s successor in the Pacific. It is unofficially thought that the way is clear for Mr Roosevelt to recall General MacArthur from the Philippines to plan the Allied offensive on the Pacific front.