Evening star., 1942-03-02
Tuxis Rush Army
To Line; Attack
New Wutchword
By the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
RANDOENG, Java, March g.
Supported by a smashing aerial
assault which has wrought havoc
among Japanese on the beaches,
a desperately determined taxi
cab army has been rushed into
a counterattack and may already
have fought vital engagement
against invaders who in two
short days have swept to within
80 miles of this military head
quarters of the United Nations
Attack and not defense must be
our watchWord," said an order Of
the day which disclosed that British
troops had gone into action.
Joined also in the defense of this
richest island of the Indies were
Americans, who with Australians
and British made up some thou
sands of reinforcements for slim
Dutch Army variously estimated at
from 100000 to 250.000.
The Allied counterstroke was de-
clared officially tonight to have de
veloped satisfactorily" but all de-
tails of the hard-fighting defense
were kept secret.
The official war report acknowl-
edged fatty that "the situation in
some parts of Java is obviously crit
ical," but added that the invaders
we're receiving blows, hammer and
tongs."
up to now" it continued, there
Is no information received about
fifth column activities.
Everywhere our troops are going
to meet the japanese. ="
Although there is no question
of direct threat to Batavia, vital
objectives are being made useless to
exclude all risks
The Dutch and Allied counter
moves against the invaders three
hard-won beachheads we're described
in the communique with these
words:
From well-informed circles it is
heard that action against the Japa-
nese troops developed satisfactorily.
Although in connection with the
character of the operations no de-
tails can be published, it can be
said that the enemy received fair
hits"
Aneta reported that up to a short
time before midnight there had
been no word of any new Japanese
landings on the Java coast or of
the approach Of any new invasion
armada.
Troops Rushed North.
Although the Netherlands COM
mand was tight-lipped concerning
the land fighting, for all eyes to see
was the stream of taxicabs and
camouf1aged trucks loaded with
green-clad Dutch and Malayan re-
serve troops which rumbled down
the volcanic slopes toward the
northern coastal planes where the
invaders had established footholds
in three places on Saturday night.
The Japanese landed at Bantam,
Rembang and Indramajoe.
A special communique of the high
command pointed to the probability
that the terrific hammering of
Dutch and American planes may
have upset the japanese schedule
of reinforcement.
In the present phase of the battle
against the Japanese invasion no
particulars can be given about the
development. Of the action" the
communique said.
Invasion Barges Sunk.
The communique said a smashing
attack by Dutch fighter planes yes
terday sank nearly every one of the
barges engaged in landing men and
tanks from 20 transports near Rem
bang.
Swooping low with light bombs
and machineguns. the fighting
planes overturned and sank the
barges, set afire Tanks which had
been put ashore on the beaches
and caused Others to be dropped
into the water, the communique
said.
LILO dlCdSh OUOh pldCC UcUWSSl
Rembang and Toeban. Toeban is
on the coast only about so miles
west of Soerabaja, the Dutch naval
base. 1t was this beachhead near
Rembang which threatened Soc
rabaja. the Dutch naval base at the
eastern end of the island.
The extensive fleet of Dutch tor
pedo boats also has gone into ac-
tion, along with submarines, to ex-
tend the toll of q Japanese trans
ports and warships sunk, damaged,
beached, or burned out, the COM
munique disclosed.
Flotilla Leader Sunk.
The communique said one torpedo
boat had sunk flotilla leader, add
ing one to yesterdays total of 26
ships sunk or damaged of the ap-
proximately so transports and 20
warships sent by the Japanese on
this expedition. BY f1otilla leader,
navy men usually mean a large de-
(See JAVA, Page ABB