Evening star., 1942-02-14
Japs Land 'Chutists in Sumatra;
Fresh Allied Troops Reach Indies;
Battered Singapore Holding On
Nipponese Claim
Capture Of Navy
Base on Island
By the Associated Press.

By the Associated Press.
Japan's siege armies asserted
today they had captured the
$3.50 100000 Seletar Naval Base
on Singapore Island and that
japanese dive bombers were
raining havoc on a fleet of 80
rescue ships in Singapore Har-
bor-but imperial British troops
still battled furiously against the
invaders.
A LONDON communique said Brit
ish forces still held Singapore
against a nut-cracker attack by
japanese forces closing in from the
northwest as well as the northeast.
The defenders are "disputing every
enemy attempt to advance further
toward the heart of Singapore
town." the communique declared.
1t disclosed that in addition to
Japanese pressure from the race
course. water reservoir and rail line
section northwest Of the city, the
japanese have driven hard into the
Paya Lebar area. Paya Lebar vii
lage Is 3 miles from the outskirts of
Singapore on the road northeast to
Serangoon.
Tanglin Already Reached.
The Japanese thrust from the
northwest already had reached
Tanglin, little more than 2 miles west
Of the center Of the city.
The communique indicated that
casualties among the city's 750 900
population were high. under a con-
slant storm of bombs and she'll
fire.
Calcutta picked up a Singapore
broadcast declaring that all Brit
ish positions on Singapore Island
are holding"
The Singapore radio said the res
ervoirs on the island are still in Brit
ish hands. Singapore's communi-
ques on the position of the battle
lines had indicated that at least part
OF these central basins of fresh water
were in Japanese control.
Our troops countera ttacked at
one point at least and established a
new line" the announcer said.
THE reservoirs are still in our
hands.
"Johore causeway under the fire
OF our guns was rendered impossible
last night"
Toxic dispatches had asserted
that Japanese engineers repaired
the wrecked cauSeway and that
Japanese troops were pouring into
the island over that span crossing
the mile-wide Strait Of Johore.
Domei, Japenese news agency
said Nipponese warplanes set two
10,000-ton transports aflame and
scored direct hits on numerous
other vessels" in the harbor.
Base Had Been Abandoned.
Domei said Japanese naval forces
this morning opened the way for
capture Of the Seletar naval base,
which the British had abandoned as
seat of major operations early
in the 15-day old siege.
Toxic front-line dispatches ac-
knowledged that British gunners
we're still pouring an intense fire
into Japanese lines pressing only
q few miles from the heart of Singa-
pore.
Domei reported in a dispatch
from "a Singapore suburb" that the
British were continuing counter
attacks today, and the Toxic news
paper Ashi said the British war
ships around Singapore were help
ing the scorched earth policy by
shelling oil tanks.
Take Terrific Toll.
The guns of the British defend
ers apparently were taking terrific
toll of the Japanese invaders, but
London found scant cause for en-
couragement in the meager reports
which filtered through from the
Strife-torn island.
Advices from Batavia, in the
Netherlands Indies, said the Singa-
pore radio last night reported Brit
ish batteries were pouring murder
GUS fire into the Japanese. raining
400 shells an hour on the invaders
lines In one sector alone. Japanese
guns answered with a heavy bonn
bardment of the city.
The Singapore radio last was
heard in London at $3.50 pm. yester-
day Q0:30 am, E. w. To At that
time the announcer said the Japa-
nese were mot having everything
their own way"
The last direct cable from Singa-
pore was q Reuters dispatch reach
ing London at 8 O'Clock last night
a pm. E. w. T. Friday describing
heavy fighting west Of the city and
(See SINGAPORE. Page A-4)