The Wilmington morning star., 1942-03-05
Allies Java
Line Thrown
Back By Japs
Islands Peril So Great De-
tenders Destroying All
Usable Supplies
STILL HOLD OFFENSE
Fighting Is Savage And De-
termined Despite Loss
OF Fleet Airforce

BANDOENG, Java, March A.
(R-1'he Japanese have thrown
back the Allied line in some Sec
tors in their first advances of con-
sequence since the beginning of
the invasion, the Dutch command
acknowledged today, and so i'm
minent was this islands peril that
the defenders already had COM
pleted most of the job of demolish-
ing all upon it that would be of
value to the enemy.
But, stripped though they were
of much of the Dutch fleet strength
and outnumbered alof t. and
aground, the Allied forces y e t
fought savagely - holding the Of
fensive in their unbroken aggressive
spirit, tragically unable though
they were to hold it in fact.
(The Netherlands government in
London announced dras st c
change in the Indies command by
which the Governor General, Gen.
A W. L. Tjarda Van Starkenborgh
Stachouwer, transfers command of
the land fighting forces to Lieut..
Gen. Helm ter Poorten, and Admir-
al c. E. L. Helfrich takes "a spe-
cial mission" with Rear Admiral
]. ]. A. Van Staveren commanding
the remaining naval forces in In
dies waters.
CAT the same time the govern
ment called upon every Dutch COM
mander in Java and elsewhere in
the Archipelago, even those cut off
from help, to flight on to the last.
(The communique said the COM
mand shift was incidental to de-
parture of General Sir Archibald
P. Wayell, erstwhile United Ma
tions supreme commander in Java,
to resume his former India COM
mand, but authoritative Dutch
quarters said that the Allied pow
ers had taken "a Gripping blow
with the loss of two Dutch cruisers
in the Java sea naval battle last
weekend, that a counter offensive
at present was out of the question
and that ''it is therefore bitter
struggle, but the Netherlands army
will fight to the bitter end" 1t was
estimated that at least $4,000 Pap
anese were pitted against only So
900 Allied troops.
(There was no explanation of
Helfrich's special mission" he
had taken over the Allied Naval
command on Feb. II from U. S.
Admiral Thomas C. Hart.
Gan authorized Netherlands
statement issued in London said
the japanese had sent an immense
number of cruisers, destroyers and
submarines to Java that the two
Dutch cruisers lost ran across a
submarine line after carrying out
a successful attack and that the
Japanese fleet had successfully
risked leaving Japan itself un-
covered.'')
The afternoon communique from
Dutch military headquarters made
no effort to conceal the rising ma
ture of the crisis.
'About fighting in the invasion
area on JAVA" this bulletin said,
''it can only be reported today that
our troops fight with stubborn re-
sistance and in offensive spirit.
In all places where the enemy
attempts to advance he is strong
ly engaged by our troops.
Nevertheless, the enemy Sue
ceeded in making some headway
at some points as a result of his
numerical superiority, especially
in the air.
There was, however, a report of
one local allied success, although
even it had perhaps been super
seded by developments.
Volunteer British home guard
troops who had participated in the
(Continued on Page Two; Col. ~