Evening star., 1941-12-22
British in Ma|aya
Smash al japanese
From New Positions
Heavy Casualties Inflicted
On Foe Moving Toward
Tin Center, English Soy

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On Foe Moving Toward
Tin Center, English Soy
BY the Associated Press.
British forces, drawn up on a new
line across the Malay Peninsula
about 300 miles north of Singa-
pore, were reported today to have
smashed heavily at Japanese forces
gathering for a push toward the
important tin mining center of 1poh.
The battle, a Singapore COM
munique said, took place somewhere
on the main highway leading south
from erik, where the japanese had
been using the Perak River to move
up reinforcementS by raft.
"Our troops engaged the enemy
and inflicted heavy casualties" the
bulletin declared.
Tt indicated the new British line
was anchored on the west side OF
the peninsula in the vicinity OF
Kuala Kangsar. about 20 miles north
of Ipoh and approximately $50 miles
from Singapore.
Withdrawal Successful.
From Kuala Kangsar the front ap-
parently extended eastward through
Kuala Krai, which is situated on
the central Malayan Railroad about
As miles south of Kota Bharu, where
the japanese made their initial
landing on the coast December 8.
Withdrawal to this line. the British
said was effected successfully despite
attempted japanese interference in
the air and on the land, the greater
part of the British forces and the
majority of stores and equipment"
being brought out in series of night
movements.
Loss of airdrome facilities In
Northern Kelantan and the vul-
prompted a decision several days
ago to make this withdrawal, an an
nouncement yesterday in Singapore
said.
New Aerial Activity.
The British thus had surrendered
Perak State, Wellesley Province and
the off-shore island of Penang to
the invaders.
A war bulletin reported new air
activity over Kuala Lumpur, mid
way between the fighting front and
Singapore, and said British planes
and anti-aircraft fire met the raid
ers and shot down three. Three
British planes also were listed as
lost.
In other air operations six jap
anese planes were said to have been
put out of commission in a British
raid on a Japanese occupied air field
in Northern Malaga.
Loss Of Ship Revealed.
A communiQue yesterday disclosed
loss of the 623-ton converted mer-
chantman Banka somewhere off
Malaga, with four officers and 40
Malayan creWmen, but did not say
how the vessel was sunk. Six of the
crew were saved.
The tin smelling works and power
house on Penang Island, Britain's
outpost off the west coast of Malaga,
were destroyed prior to British
evacuation and japanese occupation,
an authoritative source in London
said.
THE scorched-earth policy was
completely applied" at Penang, with
many other demolitions of goods and
works which would have been useful
to the japanese, this source added.
Brooke Charges Incompetence.
In Sydney. Australia, Sir Charles
Brooke, the Rajah of Sarawak, said
in an interview today that the
present position of the British in
Malaga was due to gross in
competence and almost criminal
negligence" of military and political
leaders in Singapore.
Member of British family which
ruled Sarawak on the island of
Borneo for the past SO years, Sir
Charles termed the Singapore au-
thorities "brass-hats =" lah-di-da,
old-school-tie incompetents who are
responsible for the fantastic posi-
ton in Malaga"
They should be sacked immedi-
ately,' he said. although there is
yet no indication of improvement in
our position, sincerely hope REIN
forcements-including strong fighter
and bomber support-will be sent to
Malaga Immediately.
Oil Fields Blown Up.
when left l was given to under
stand that should Sarawak be at
tackled it would be given air support.
The first thing that happens is
Japan calls Britain's bluff and we
have to blow up our oil fields. The
only air protection over Sarawak to-
day is Dutch
The Japanese were reported to
have landed on Sarawak last week.
The garrison there retreated, but
destroyed all oil fields before they
could fall into japanese hands.
TT is obvious that British diplo-
matte representation in Thailand
fell down badly" Sir Charles con-
tinued. IF we go into Timor, why
not Thailand, where we know there
is a potential threat?"
About five weeks ago Thai mill
tary and political officers we're
shown over the Singapore defenses."
Sir Charles said. This was a fan
tastic error"
Dutch Planes in Action.
The Dutch command in Batavia
announced that planes of the Meth
erlands Indies Army had taken part
in operations over Malaga, support
ing British forces battling to stem
the japanese advance toward Singa-
pore.
A communique said one Dutch
plane had been shot down over Ma
laya, but that the pilot, although
wounded, had escaped.
A Domei dispatch to Toxic from
Bangkok, Thailand, said Sir Ismail
Ibni Almarhum, sultan of the Malay
State of Kelantan, returned to his
capital at Kota Bharu yesterday