Evening star., 1941-12-15
Advances by japanese
In Northern Malaga
Admitted by British
: Jungle Fighting Raging;
Jops Lond on East Side
Of Kru Isthmus


fronts in Northern Malaya today,
with the British acknowledging that
the japanese have gained ground in
the Kedah area of Northern Malaga
despite heavy losses, the Associated
Press reported.
A British officials in London. ad-
mitting slight withdrawal" in the
Kedah area. said very heavy fight
ing was progressing there and that
casualties on both sides may be
severe.
He said the Japanese had landed
on the east side of the Kra Isthmus
and had crossed it to enter Burma.
Their success in cutting the Malay
Peninsula. he acknowledged, would
affect air communications between
Burma and Singapore because of
airflelds involved.
The japanese landing thus was
from the Gulf of Siam above the
landings directed at Singapore At
that point, the Kra Isthmus, which
links Malaga with the Asiatic main
land, is only some so miles wide.
South of RangOOn.
The vicinity of the Japanese
landings is about 500 airline miles
south of Rangoon. Burmas chief
port and the Indian Ocean gateway
for China's supplies over the Burma
road. 1t is around the crook of the
Gulf Of Martaban, however, and
therefore considerably farther by
land from the Japanese position.
1.-The British informant said he
had no information about the
progress of the Japanese in Burma.
In Rangoon, however, British Army
headquarters announced today that
owing to pressure by Japanese
forces our small garrison has with
drawn from Victoria Point" the
southernmoSt tip of Burma on the
west coast of the Malay Peninsula.
The communique said the 'neces-
sary demolitions" were carried out
before the British moved back to
other positions.
The British Broadcasting Co. said
Rangoon had had several AFRAID
had been dropped on the city. Yes
terday, the broadcast said, British
fighters warded off three attacks by
Japanese bombers.
A japanese communique reported
In London claimed the capture of
IAN important air base in Western
Malaga" but there were no details
to amplify this.
Strategic Point Claimed.
An announcement of the army
section of japanese imperial head
quarters issued in Toxic said also
that japanese forces in Malaga
driving toward Singapore from the
border of Thailand occupied a
strategic point on the east coast.
The announcement did not identify
the point.
japanese headquarters yesterday
declared that an entire British
mechanical division had been de-
stroyed in a Japanese advance over
the Malayan frontier toward Singa-
pore and the japanese press claimed
that 81 American and British naval
vessels had been sunk or put out of
commission in the week k-old war of
the Pacific.
Scene of the heaviest fighting
apparently was in the Malayan west
coast Province Of Kedah, where
major battle appeared to be shap-
ing. On the opposite side of the
peninsula a Japanese spearhead
was reported feeling out British
positions in the Kelantan area.
A British communique issued in
Singapore reported fighting on both
sides OF the peninsula in the Kedah
sector. and said the situation in the
difficult jungle country was con-
fused" The japanese are using
armored troops in their southern
push.
The B. B. c., quoting dispatches
from the Malayan front. said Eng
lish. Scottish and Indian troops
were holding defense line about
20kS miles south of the Thailand
frontier, but that some fighting
actually was taking place on Thai
territory.
Singapore Has Alarm.
There was no indication in Singa-
pore that the japanese had been
able to widen the foothold they es-
tablished Wednesday in landing
troops at Kuantan on the Malayan
East Coast $50 miles north of
Singapore.
Singapore itself had another air.
raid alarm yesterday. but no bomb
ing was reported. japanese planes
were reported beaten off three times
in. attempts to bomb the West Coast
port Of Penang.
The beginning Of the second week
ofs the conflict found Singapore's
passive defense services fully mo-
biiized. Nightly blackouts are be-
ing enforced strictly and fire.
watchers are operating on 24-hour
basis.
Stringent regulations. backed by
the threat of stiff fines and prison
terms have been introduced to pre-
vent boarding and profteering. The
food reserve was said to be ample.
but householderS were permitted
to accumulate only weeks normal
supplies and prices were fixed at
the December s level.
An early rush by Singapore's
Asiatic population to leave the city
appeared to be dying down as Off
ciaIs sought to discourage departure
Of persons having no resources.
Every morning, however. thousands
leave congested districts to spend
the day in tree-shaded suburbs.
Arrangements are being made to
rMnvide housing facilities for ap-
,roximately 600 European women
and children being brought here
from Penang, which has been a fire.
quent target of japanese air raiders.
approximately 400 Japanese Wom-
en- and children residing in Malaga
when the war broke out now are
Quartered in an island camp near
Singapore which in peacetlme served
as quarantine station.