ENEMY DEFEAT

Wairarapa Times-Age, 6 January 1942, Page 5

ENEMY DEFEAT

NORTH-WEST OF MANILA Frontal Attack Repulsed With Heavy Loss AFTER FAILURE OF ENCIRCLING ATTEMPT MORE BOMBERS SHOT DOWN OVER CORREGIDOR LONDON, January 5. In the Philippines the Japanese have suffered a defeat north-west of Manila. Washington describes it as one of the most serious reverses suffered by the invaders since the war began. A communique states that strong attacks north-west of Manila on Sunday were repulsed with heavy loss to the enei At least seven hundred of the enemy troops were killed in this attack, while the losses of the American and Filipino forces were relatively small. The communique states that the tactics pursued by the Japanese in Luzon were the development of a pincers movement from north and south. The Japanese trap was closed, but the American and Filipino troops were not in the jaws of the Japanese pincers. This necessitated yesterday’s frontal attack, which likewise failed. In an enemy air attack yesterday on the Corregidor fortress the fourth on consecutive days—-the American anti-air-craft batteries shot down four Japanese bombers. Four more were hit, but reports of their destruction are not confirmed. Fifty-two Japanese bombers took part in the attack, which lasted for three hours. There was little material damage and the casualties of the defenders were light. In Washington today Mr Cordell Hull, United States Secretary of State, was asked at the Press conference about a report of Japanese treatment of white people in Manila. He replied that the report was of so serious a nature that he would have to be quite certain of the facts before commenting.