The Waterbury Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1917-1946, 1942-01-16

the Japanese are IN 1lgnClng cOnLac1
over a widening front.
AS the battle developed, big Brit
ish bombing planes roared high
over the fields and groves of thu
area and, in one Of the biggest inn
perial aerial attacks of the war, at
tackled Japanese transport, rolling
stock on railroad lines and highway.
in the Tampin area on the west
coast 12O miles north of Singapore
CA Malaga general headquarters
communique issued at Singapore
said the British planes damaged
railroad tracks and left vehicles
afire.)
Maj. Gen. Henry Gordon Bennett
commanding the Australian I'M
perial Force, told me that the
Australians. specially trained in
jungle fighting, had gone into &C
ton at Ais p. m. Wednesday for
the first time, only few hours af-
ter their arrival at the front in a
great and perfectly effected move
ment northward.
Ambush Jap Tank Column
Then. in their first offensive ac-
ton of the battle for Singapore, at
dawn the Australians ambushed a
japanese tank and infantry column
which was pushing southwark.
They waited until the Japanese
had approached and then attacked
-Four more, 1t was said officially
were destroyed in later fighting be-
fore the Japanese broke.
Eight to 10 japanese tanks, which
Gen Gordon Bennett said had evil
IDENTITY managed to cross damaged
bridges, were blocked by the Austria
lians.
He added that Australian casual
ties were surprisingly light and
that the estimate of 200 japanese
killed was conservative.
"Our first contact with the enemy
has delayed the enemy advance at
least "a hours" Gen. Gordon Ben
nett said.
"Our lads are doing magnifi-
cent Job. They gave the enemy
jippo."
Unofficial reports from the fight
ing lines said the Japanese column
which the Australians ambushed
had been almost wiped out.
The Australians won their victory
despite the bombing and machine
cunning OF planes supporting the
enemy.
First Australian Blast
(The first Australian engagement
was at the eastern side of the west
Malaga front. General headquarters
at Singapore reported that there
was now some contact with the jap
anese on the west side.
(Reporting British aerial opera
tons, the general headquarters
communicate said British bombing
planes had sunk number of barges
on the Japanese-occupied west coast
and had attacked land targets.
ct said that at least one Japa-
nese plane was shot down in the
Singapore area yesterday and that
three were damaged. One Japanese
plane was shot down over Singa-
pore this morning, the communicate
said)
(Singapore reported two air raid
alerts during the morning when
Japanese planes, bombers and fight
ers, approached but were fought off
by British fighter planes and were
forced to drop their bombs far from
the city,
There had been no official report
for more than 48 hours Of any Inn
perial withdrawal on the West Ma
laya front and 1t was indicated that
the entire Empire land, strengthen
ed by the newly arrived Australians,
specially trained in jungle fighting,
had hardened at last.
Japs Meet difficulties
AT the same time, dispatches from
general headquarters reported that
the Japanese were having increas-
ing difficulty In their intensified air.
plane raids on Singapore.
At least one Japanese plane was
downed and three damaged in a big
raid-which was failure-by so
Japanese bombing planes escorted
by a fleet of navy fighters.
Admittedly the first clash between
the Australians and the Japanese
was small-scale, SO far as the whole
front was concerned, but there was
hope that General Sir Archibald
Wavell. new United Nations COM
mander in the Far East, was start
ing to put his plans into operation.
/ reached Kluang, so miles from
the tip of the Peninsula, to find
that the front was not far distant. A
Malaga broadcasting unit which had
hurriedly left Semagat, to the north,
during the night, passed me. A Brit
'sh regiment up north had found
Itself on the wrong side of bridge
prepared for demolition.
The front Is approaching rubber
and which has been flooded by the
ecent storms, and roads which are
Hooded, to the benefit of the de-
tense.
Throughout the front area. the