Evening star., 1942-02-27
Third Successive
Raid Is Made on
PoIembong
By the Associated fiess.

anese invasion fleet off Java's
eastern end. launched an attack
today against a ly-muStereo
enemy armada off the coast oi
Sumatra west Of Java.
A squadron of United Nations
planes, possibly including American
fortress type bombers, raided g
concentration of Japanese shipping
in the waters near Bangka Island
Just off the Sumatra coast 27C
miles north of Batavia. They en-
countered strong anti-aircraft fire
but returned intact and on their
homeward fight fought off an at
tack by 10 enemy fighter planes
one of which the Dutch high COM
mand listed as probably destroyed.
New Raid on Palembang.
This latest blow in an Allied
counter offensive which now appears
to have shifted most Of its weight
to Java's west, where the Japanese
have driven to the shore of narrow
Sunda Strait, was carried out
Will q WILL VI SdSSSo-
sive bombing raid on Palembang,
enemy-held oil center in South
Sumatra. There the bombers touched
off new fires to add to the previous
devastation in this area.
Meanwhile, preparations appeared
to be under way in Australia for the
launching of an Allied offensive in
the Far East. The Commonwealth
War Council met with high advisers
from the Allied nations to shape a
new strategy based on the possibility
of imminent japanese attack on
Australia.
japanese air activity slackened off
considerably Only one raid on Java
was reported, on the naval base at
Soerabaja. There defending fighter
planes were said to have driven off
a fight of nine bombers before they
could do any damage.
The only other enemy operations
were Notwithstanding attacks on
the islands of Soemba and Seem
bawa which lie far east of Java in
the chain extending to Timor.
- Java Siege frightened. 100,
Hard hit by shipping and plane
losses, the japanese claimed to have
frightened the siege of Java, where it
was disclosed that many thou
sands" of American, British and
Australian troops were grimly and
with some eagerness awaiting the
invaders.
Fight like wildcats and fight like
hell" was the official slogan.
japanese forces in Southern Su-
matra have occupied a Dutch naval
base on Semangka Bay, at the
islands southern tip, the japanese
news agency Domei reported in
Toxic.
Semangka Bay is the western of
two bays on the Southern end of
Sumatra, with the town of Kota
Agoeng at its head. Some 40 miles
to the east, at the head of Lam
poeng Bay, is Telokbetoeng, where
the Dutch said yesterday their naval
forces had bombed japanese storage
yards.
The Japanese also announced the
occupation of Benkoelen, on Sum-
atra's western coast about 200 miles
northwest of Semangka Bay.
Another Domei dispatch from an
''undisclosed base" said japanese
naval planes shot down four British
made Spitf1res of the Dutch air
force in spectacular doghght over
Batavia on Wednesday. Another
Japanese formation was said to
have set two large Allied planes on
fire in heavy bombing raid on
Tjililitan air field outside Batavia
R. A. A. F. Raids RabauI.
Royal Australian Air Force flyers
ralded Japanese-occupied Rabaul,
New Britain, again last night, set
ting off fierce fires and explosions in
attacks on wharves, shipping, mill
tary installations and airdromes, a
Melbourne communique said.
Ships were bombed, buildings
were fired, airdrome runWays were
damaged and some japanese planes
probably were damaged and de-
stroyed on the ground, the R. A. A. F.
announced.
PILOTS reported that fierce fires
and three explosions were seen after
the raid, the communique said.
There was intense anti-aircraft
fire from ships and shore. Enemy
fighters unsuccessfully attempted in
Perception. All our planes returned
safely"
Allied Troops Welcomed.
1t. Gen. Helm Ter Poorten, COM
mander in chief of the Netherlands
Indies Army, welcomed the many
thousands" of Allied soldiers to Java
in a broadcast from Batavia last
night.
II know your gallant record in
the history of fighting" he said,
speaking in English. Il know can
rely on you Americans, Australians
and British to fight equally CALAMITY
now alongside us Dutch"
The general said there was no
room Tor bllnQ optlmlSm concerning
the coming battle for the last great
Allied bastion in the Western Pacific
north of Australia, but that there
was none for pessimism either.
United States Army forces, as we'll
as British and Australian troops,
had been known to be on Java, but
there had been no previous indica-
ton that they were there in formi-
dable numbers.
japanese naval planes destroyed
80 enemy aircraft in the air or on
the ground in operations over New
Guinea and the Netherlands Indies
during the seven days ended We'd
nesday, Japanese imperial headquar-
ters announced in Toxic.
Two enemy cruisers were damaged
by gunflre, the japanese COM
munique said, and Japanese planes
damaged several other vessels, in
cluding one of 10000 tons.
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