JAPAN’S MAIN AIM SAID TO BE MALAYA

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 85, Issue 291, 10 December 1941, Page 5

JAPAN’S MAIN AIM SAID TO BE MALAYA

CONFUSED FIGHTING IN PROGRESS

THAI FORCES SAID TO HAVE CEASED RESISTING

HONGKONG, MANILA, SINGAPORE BEING BOMBED AGAIN

Br Telegraph—Preu AMoeiaiioc —Copyright i • Ker.l. II 45 pm. i London. Dec. 9. • ■ : - fig • • ■_ s eporteii to be in progress in Northern Malaya, where the Japanex have stirreedcd in landing more troops. \ Sii ji.pore report states that while it is still too early to state dctiiiih ly what the main Japanese aim is. in the present wide-p id o - iisUt-. it appeal- to he the capture of Malaya, by making lull list of bas. - in French Imio-t hina. and later Thailand. Tok •• reports that J ;pam .-e troops are entering Thailand under t « • -ofan . j ; iiient signed with the Thai Gov< rumen* No ofti -iai word of this agnemeiit has reached London J ipane-. troop- are said to have entered Bangkok (capital of Thailand . Th Tokio radio .•L.iins that the Japanese flag is flying over the Unibd States islands of Wake and Guam.

British troops are being rushed lu reinforce those in northern Malaga. The mam objective of the Japanese at the mom *nt :s the K i Baru aerodrome. Addit.onal enemy troophavt been landed and Royal Air Force and Roval Australian Air Force bombers are attacking Japanese ships. Before the Japanese attacks de- \ eloped the plan of ampa.gn of the A.B.C.D. American. British. Chinese. Dutch’ Powers envisaged that the enemv would seek to capture Malaya and so menace Singapore. It is reported from Singapore that plans to meet just such a threat are functioning smoothly. From Tokio <om»‘> a report that the Japane>e are attaining the Singapore area, but from Singapore it is officially stated that no landings have hem made further south in Malaya than reported earlier, and no Japanese forces have set fool on Singapore itself. Indian troops are defending Malaya, having had special training for the hard type of lighting required. A Singapore communique states that the Japanese have engaged a considerable number of aircraft in an endeavour to gain a measure of air superiorrty in Northern Malay to enable them tn cover the landing in southern Thailand and continue efforts to obtain control of the Kota Baru aerodrome. Air reconnaissance yesterday established that 25 enemy transports were proceeding down the coast of southern Thailand, escorted by warsnips and apparently preparing to land additional troops in Singora. Patani and the Kota Baru areas. Thus all transports which were located during air reconnaissance on December 6 and 7 apparently were engaged in these landings in the Kra Isthmus and North-eastern Malaya. So far. there is no information regarding further support for these forces, and the condition of the ground in the Singora areas is such that the advance, if attempted, will probably have to be restricted to the feu roads a\ ailablc Severe I ightinu. Fighting in the Kota Baiu area has been severe, and although by noon yesterday a large measure of control had been achieved by our forces in this area, further landings look place m the afternoon and heavy lighting for control of the aerodrome took place yesterday evening and continued throughout the night Thus the situation in th;.- area i- still confused, but reinforcements should reach there during to-day. Japanese bom urs have attackeG Hongkong ami the British defences there have beaten the enemy off three times. Man.a capital of the Philippines’ ha.* • en bombed again anc had its first daylight alert to-day. Landings **t Japanese parachute trtHijK in the Philippine Island* k officially denied. Japan claims that ail the main buildings on the island of Guam (U.S.A ‘ are ablaze. Hostile plane* were rejnirt *d •<» be approaching the ( alifomian < oa*t to-day. Penetration of Thailand The German raaio declared that Japanese troop.- had begun a peaceful entry of Ban„r. which had been shelled and bombed. also of many important point- in vast* n and southern Thailand. An olli' tai cummun.que issued at Singapore on Sunday Mated that ail indication.- pointed to Japan taking a fatal step to war and striking at her China th- iia.-e of o|ietaliens. Though th- commun.qui dor.- not mention the nationality of th« warships th.-' had hern sighted, there is little doubt that they were Japanese moving m tr» <riion of Thailand on thi dtre.i .-hipping route from Saigon to Bangkok. Damage tn Naval ( raft. A White House statement said that in addition to an old batt It i..p which capsized m Pearl Barnaul, several small ships were seriously hit ami several hangars destroyer at army and navy airfields, and a large numiwr of planes put out of commission. The d; causrti to U.S. forces at Oahu on Sunday is mure serious than at fit st b»iivv«-i. A number of bombers arrived safely at Oahu from San Fiimc.M/u duiing the engagement. Reinforcements and planes are being rushed, and repair work is under way on ship-, planes and ground facilities Washington officially states that several Japanese planes and submarnies were destroyed yesterday Official estimates of the casualties

at Oahu <»n Sunday during the Japa- • s aii attack are about 3000. in-‘ deluding 1500 fatal cases. The main units of the Meet were in the harbour , when the Japanese attacked. Guam Virtually Destroyed. President Roosevelt is also reported to have said that Guam has been virtually destroyed. However, the full ;extent of the damage, especially at .Hawaii, would be withheld as a mill-; tary secret. The White House has | ret rived an unconfirmed report that some of the plane.- bore the Nazi •swastika. The Associated Press correspondent in Manila says that the Japanese ijombed military bases and ports throughout the Philippines on Mon- ' day. including the big port of Stotensburg and the Parktleld air base. Baguio, Davao. Aparri. and the Bat an ’ Island group. A Manila message says that 2(Hi j persons were killed at the Park field air base. The Pan-American Airways base at Guam and the Pacific Cable Company’s office were heavily strafed. Planes came down almost to ground j level. I According to the United Press’ I Manila correspondent, approximately persons, of whom 60 were Amer - cans. were killed on Monday in a Japanese air raid on I ha. on the west coast of Luzon. Two raids on the Philippines on Monday by high-flying Japanese I bombers caused at least 290 casualties Japanese plane losses are re-1 ( ported to be high. The raiders(irepped leaflets promising liberation I for the Filipinos. Raids on Singapore. A few bombs were dropped on. Singapore Island and the aerodrome' at Keiantin. There were no casualties at the aerodrome. No bombs , were dropped on the nival base. Singapore was blacked-out on Monday night. There were intermittent alarms during the day. when odd 'Japanese bombers attempted io reach Singapore, but were driven off The United Press says that three Japanese air raids on Hongkong were , driven off by anti-aircraft fire on Monday The damage was unim- I I portant a British communique said. | A N BC. broadcast from Manila ■state.- that Japanese parachute troops I had landed in the Philippines. The Japanese nomber Clark Field' the larged army air base in the» Philippines. I - is revealed in Singapore that an Australian Hudson bomber squadron • r.t Kota Baru put up a magnificent fight against the first Japanese landj ing force. They went in against the transports masthead high and drop- j I ped bombs with the greatest accuracy and daring. The Japanese used barges and fast j * motor-launches but the members of Ithe R.A.A.F. who were the first | I Brdi.-hers to fire against the enemy, j strafed the landing craft with ma-’ chine-guns, causing many casualties ’among the Japanese. The Hudsons encountered no enemv t I planes near Kota Baru They left enemy ships blazing. -A Grand Fight.” An Australian flight lieutenant reported that the AI F. and Indian troops who are associated in the defence of the aerodrome are putting , up a grand fight, decimating the landing forces with machine-gun fire.. The Governor of the Straits Settlement. Sir Shenton Thomas, announced , that the Japanese force off Kota Baru Ironsish 1 of one cruiaer. foui destroyers one armed merchantman, and one |trans-H»rt The ma’n landing occurred J off Singora ! P va Air F<»r< < repoits -ay that 1h« Jananr.-e also landed at Patani from transports and tlestroves. I Air-raid casualties in Singapore total 6o dead and 135 sent to hosnital. ' Othei Singapore messages say that | j the enemy landing near Kota Barn | means that members nf thr Australian | ' Air For<« were the first in action in j the defence of Malaya. ' The defence of Ihe aerodrome itself : ,is in the hands of Indian troops who have been trained for month* past to ■ reoel landing* such a* this. Although the aerodrome is c'ose to the coast, attacking Iron ns are obliged to traverse considerable areas of iungle to reach heir objective. A few borniis were dropped on S n sanore Maud and the aerodrome at Kelatin There were no casualties at the aerodrome. No bombs have been dropped on the naval ba*e. A Manila report states that Japan-e.-e troops landed in North Borneo, but were driven off by British troops. Attacking Aircraft Retire. A Singapore message says it was officially announced from the North