WAITING THEIR TURN

Wairarapa Times-Age, 8 January 1942, Page 3

WAITING THEIR TURN

THE AUSTRALIAN TROOPS IN MALAYA TRAINED IN JUNGLE WAR. EAGER TO GET TO GRIPS WITH ENEMY. LONDON, January 6. A message from Singapore reports satisfactory local offensive aetion against the Japanese in Malaya. It has also been stated that the effective fire-power of the enemy’s artillery, armoured vehicles, mortars and tommy-guns is inferior to that of the British, and that the anti-aircraft defences are meeting with increasing success. In recent raids in the Singapore area Japanese bombers have flown above cloud-level and dropped bombs at random. An Australian war correspondent in Singapore states that as the war in Malaya enters its fifth week the Australian troops are becoming resigned to waiting their turn.' All realise that in this campaign the enemy has full power to call the tune. The Australians have a major role to play, but the word “Go” can come only from the Japanese. This period of inaction is galling to the troops, but they are not grumbling. It is obvious to all that their responsibilities will be doubled, but they are men who, above all others in the Far East, have been specially trained for the job on hand. The commander of the Australian Imperial Force in Malaya today stated: “Sooner or later we must get reinforcements. In the meantime we shall hold on.” He said the Australians under his command were fighting fit, fully trained in jungle war, and eager to get to grips with the enemy. They had not yet been in action. The Australians had now been nearly a year in Malaya and any Japanese soldier infiltrating the Australian lines would do so at considerable personal peril. BRITISH FLEET SIR G. LAYTON’S ORGANISING TASK. DEPARTURE FROM SINGAPORE. LONDON, January 7. In the first news for some time of the British Far Eastern Fleet it is announced that its commander, Vice-Ad-miral Sir Geoffrey Layton, has left Singapore to organise his fleet so that the Allies may again secure naval supremacy in- the Far East as soon as possible. i