Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1942-02-04
Great Hell p onWay>Wave|| Says
In Ra||ying Singapore Defenders;
Dutch Still Battling in Amboina
Foes Big Attack
On Soerobojo
Falls Far Short
By the Associated Press.

By the Associated Press.
BATAVIA, Netherlands Indies,
Feb. "A massive japanese
bombing fleet attempting to
smash Soerabaja, the United Ma
tons chief base of operations in
the Netherlands Indies, fell far
short Of its mark, the Indies high
command announced today,
while on the secondary naval
base Of Amboina Dutch troops
still are battling a Japanese
landing force.
(The Toxic radio as heard in
Berlin today claimed that Jap
aneSe occupation of Amboina,
635 miles north Of Australia and
thanking the Allied seaborne
route, had been completely
The attack on Soerabaja was car
ried out yesterday by 10 to 80 jap
anese bombers with heavy fighters.
the Indies command reported, and
the raiders inflicted very consider
able" losses on the Dutch interceptor
squadrons which took to the air to
meet them.
Damage Is Negligible"
But the raid caused only "negli-
gible" damage to Soerabaja's mill
tary detectives, according to COM
munique released through the news
agency Aneta. while the defending
planes and anti-aircraft batteries
took a toll of presumably" eight
Japanese fighters and two bombers.
Dutch losses in planes were Offset
to some extent by the fact that
some pilots were able to parachute
to safety.
The alarm at Soerabaja was said
to have lasted from 1910 am. to
1890 pm, during which many
bombs fell on the center of the town
itself-an important trading city
and second largest in the Indies,
as we'll as on the naval and air
bases.
Aneta said a naval base workshop
was slightly damaged. two naval
employees, killed and two injured.
Bombs demolished 25 houses in the
city. it said, killed 81 persons and
injured 1879.
Within the 125-mile-arc bound
ing the raided area, it added, the
japanese struck also at the island
of Madura, just off Soerabaja; the
small Soerabaja suburb of Grissee
and at Tuban. city of Is 900 popu-
lation so miles from Soerabaja,
where 18 persons were killed.
Amboina Fighting Seesaws.
The high command reported that
in addition to continuing resistance
at Amboina, where there still was
no apparent decision in the heavy
fighting. the Dutch were putting up
a battle in the vicinity of Balik
Papan, east Boreno oil center, whose
installations were wrecked well in
advance of the japanese landing.
Reports from the vicinity of AM
boina prove bitter fighting con-
tinues there, with the tide of battle
turning from one side to the other"
the communique said. Also in the
immediate vicinity of Balik Papan
fighting continues"
Amboina is second in Importance
and strategic situation in the Indies
only to Soerabaja, which, since Sing
apore became unavailable, has be-
come the United Nations chief base
in the South Seas.
Dutch Still Have 50 Airfields.
The Dutch still hold some so
Jungle hidden airflelds on the Is
land of Borneo which the Japanese
haven't even spotted" high mill
tary official declared today in coun-
tering what he said were broadcast
Toxic claims that the entire island
is under Japanese control.
The Japanese may control Tara
kan and Balik Papan least coast
oil ports and perhaps even Pontia-
max (chief west coast port, but
they still have quite a way to go
before they can make good their
ridiculous claims" this source told
the news agency Aneta.
From the airfields in the impene-
trable Borneo jungle, he said, I'VE
can keep up spirited guerrilla
warfare which will cost the enemy
dear"
Big City Still Held by Dutch.
The officer said the important
south coast city Of Bandjermasin
1920 miles across the Java Sea
from SoerabajD and its airport
also still are in Dutch possession
despite repeated enemy attacks, but
(See INDIES, Page A-60