Late News BATTERING WAY FORWARD

Southland Times, Issue 24686, 6 March 1942, Page 5

Late News BATTERING WAY FORWARD

JAPANESE ADVANCE IN JAVA (Rec. 2 a.m.) LONDON, March 5. The latest news from Java is that, in spite of stubborn resistance, the Japanese are battering their way forward. Reuters correspondent describes the situation as serious, but not desperate. Fresh landings by the Japanese are reported on the west coast of the island. The Dutch have made counterattacks with greatly inferior numbers. The Daily Mail’s Bandoeng correspondent says that as the result of a great shortage of Allied planes, air support for our troops in Java seems to have diminished suddenly. On the contrary Japanese aircraft grow more and more numerous. Enemy control of the seas around Java seems almost complete. He adds that Royal Air Force personnel, having no longer planes to fly or recondition, are being organized into ground units. Other reports say that heavily outnumbered Allied and Dutch troops are being ceaselessly dive-bombed, but are fighting magnificently. A small British force is fighting with its back to the wall on the plains of Krawang, north of Indramajoe. Japanese cyclists, who occupied Soebang, are reported to have been driven out. There are still no reports of the enemy invading force which landed at Bantam Bay. Confused fighting is going on in the Rembang area.