LATE CABLE NEWS

Timaru Herald, Volume CLI, Issue 22202, 20 February 1942, Page 5

LATE CABLE NEWS

JAPANESE DRIVE IN EAST INDIES (Rec. 1.30 a.m.) BATAVIA, Feb. 19. The Japanese are driving from Palembang to Oosthaven, Port of Telokbetong, which would bring them within 150 miles of Batavia. From Oosthaven they will spread along the coast of South Sumatra bringing up artillery to the region of Sunda Strait (separating Sumatra from Java) making the passage of that vital waterway linking the Java Sea and the Indian Ocean as hazardous for Allied shipping as Singapore’s fall made the more northerly Malacca Strait. Apart from the position in th® Oosthaven region, the position elsewhere is as follows: In Borneo the Japanese have captured Pontianak in the west and Balik Papan and Samarinda in the east, and Banjermasin in the south may already be in their hands. In the Celebes they have won the Minahassa and Kendari regions and are attacking Macassar from three points. Macassar is probably already lost. From Banjermasin it is only 250 miles to the Sourabaya Naval rase. From Macassar it is only 450 miles to Koepang. An American Army communique states: “In the Netherlands East Indies theatre nine American fighters intercepted and shot down four Japanese planes near Java, then bombed the Japanese held Palembang airfield and returned unscratched.” Two waves of bombers attacked Sourabaya to-day, the first consisting of 15. aircraft and the second six. The enemy directed his attack against the harbour. The town was not damaged. Five Japanese bombers were shot down.

JAPANESE TRANSPORT LOSSES

(Rec. 2.20 a.m.) LONDON, Feb. 19. The Berlin radio, quoting Tokio, says the Japanese army press chief admits that 61 Japanese transports have been damaged, apart from those sunk.

RAPID MOVEMENT OF JAPANESE

(Rec. 2.20 am.) LONDON, Feb. 19. The Vichy radio quotes Japanese quarters as saying that, after the capture of Singapore the majority of the Japanese troops in Malaya were sent with the greatest speed to the Burma front. The new successes in Burma are due greatly to this movement of troops. GERMAN ESCAPES (2 a.m.) DUBLIN, Feb. 19. It is officially stated that a 30-year-old German named Marchner, who was captured a few hours after landing in County Wexford from a parachute last March, escaped from Mountjoy Gaol. Dublin, on Sunday night and is still free.