JAPANESE CLAIM TO HAVE LANDED IN BORNEO

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 85, Issue 297, 17 December 1941, Page 5

JAPANESE CLAIM TO HAVE LANDED IN BORNEO

HONGKONG BEING BOMBARDED

ENEMY PRESSURE ON PHILIPPINES SAID TO BE EASING

ißv Telegraph—Prm A donation—Copyright.) 11 p in. London, Die. 16. Ihe Japanese claim to have landed in Itorneo. Reports sav that their landing was made at dawn 'in the teeth of a gale. The claim appears to refer to British North Borneo and not the Dnt h portion. Bormo lies as a link between Singapore and the Philippines. Latest nens from Manila states that attacks on the Philippines appear to he easing. The naval base near .Manila was bombed attain, lint so far there are no reports of any damage to naval and oil installations in the country. A British liaision offict r has been appointed. Japanese sources report that occupation of the United States island of Guam least of the Philippines is complete. Wake and Midway Islands are still in American hands.

Chinese troops aie attacking the J a pan pm*. who are waging an offen'•ve against Hongkong. British defences on this island outpost are being shelled from the Kowloon mainland and bombed from the air. Fighting in Malaga. In Maia>a heavy lighting is continuing in th*- north-aesl and north-east. In the north-west the most serious pressure is in the province of Kedah. British forces there are lighting again-i suj ♦ r.or land and air ioices. Fighting in the north-east has flared up acain. south of Kota Bharu, where the «near last week captured the aerodrome. Japaiit*»r forces from Thailand havr penetrated Burma at it*» inoit southern Up \ ictori* point (on the Istiinius of hra, tae narrowest portion of the Malayan Peninsula* uas held In a Miiall garrison from Rangoon (capital of Burma'. I his garrison. becauM* of Japanese pressure, has been withdrawn. Prior to withdrawal it carried out necessary demolitions. An official Tokio broadcast said that Japanese troops opened an attack on the Singapore area while Japanese v. ar planes carried out raids on British a*r nases in Malax a and destroyed some lighter planes, according to an Imperial headquarters announcement. An confeience has opened in Chungking, attended by the Ambassadors ut Britain, the t'n.p.i States, and Russia an; Chinese representatives. Japanese Transports B«»mi»ed. A Mam.a communique states: •'Two more Japanese truns)*oii ships were iMimoed and badly damaged off Legaspi. The total Japanese looses in landing attempts on the Philippines are now four sunk ami fi\t badi> damaged. Enemy activity yesterday was confined to the air. Daylight saving has i>een instituted in Manila, clocks being advanced one hour. It was reported in London yesterday that Hongkong was being subjected to air attacks by the Japanese as .•ell as artillery fire from the mainland. Yesterday 's communique from Singapore stated: “In Kedah the enemy has pressed his attacks and gamed ground in spite of the heavy losses he has suffered. Severe fighting continues

south of Kedah in difficult country, and the situation is confused. There was some activity at Kelantan nn Sunday. Penang was free from bombing yesterday, nut Ipoh had one short raid. EL n ’ here there is no change.” The offii >al Japanese spokesman stated that enow * hmarines had already appeared in Japanese waters. LONDON Dec. 13.—The Governor of Hongkong. Sir Mark Young, has flung defiance in the teeth of the Japanese demands for surrender, ami is following a plan nf defence formulated hy MajorGeneral A. E. Grasset in 193*. when the Japanese threatened the colony. The British forces have carried out this polirv oxer three hundred square miles of leased territories, which are now in Japanese hands. Thr British have withdrawn ♦heir entire defences on to Hongkong Island txhere General Grasset says. “Wr v.ill fight to the last drop of hlnod.” Tokio radio stated that, “following the rejection by the Hongkong authorities nf the Japanese invitation to surrender, a tierce nffrns ap wn> started early nn Sunday morning Th" combined Japanese army and naval and air forces f-linking severe nnmbardments opened a general a tack •nd ar* extending their operations . JAPANESE SUPPLY SHIP BOMBED AUSTRALIAN AIR FORCE (Recd. 1.15 a.m London. Dec. 16. The Royal Austialian Air Force bonde d a Japanese supply ship of I about Juno ton* <»ff Gienuich Island | In the Bismarck group, north-cast New Guinea.