Evening star., 1942-02-06
Island Has Four Air
Roid Alarms; Artillery
Smoshes at Foe
By C. YATES MCDANIEL,


SINGAPORE, Feb. Amid
the thunder of heavy mortars,
cannon and aerial bombs, inter-
spersed BY the chatter of ma
chine guns, sharp-eyed Sentinels
kept rowing watch today for the
inevitable Japanese assault by
parachutiSts or water borne
shock troops against this island
citadel.
On an extended tour of positions
along the watery no mans land Of
Johore Strait, this correspondent
found tens of thousands Of British,
Australian and Indian soldiers
manning the beaches, inlets, swamps
and rubber plantations fronting on
the Japanese mainland concentra-
ton points.
The Singapore radio broadcast an
appeal for all able bodied European
civilians to serve with the naval
forces constantly patrolling the
shoreline In launches and other
small craft.
The use Of only Europeans for this
service likely would prevent the
Japanese from trying to land dis
guised as natives.
Alarm Over Morale.
Meanwhile, alarm over the morale
Of Singapore's Asiatics increased in
some British quarters. There were
fortnight admissions that the flight
of Europeans might do more damage
to morale among Singapore's Chi
nese and Malayan population than
all the bombs the Japanese have
dropped.
Patrols worked constantly up and
down the creekmouths which cut
into the north shore of Singapore
Island, within rife shot Of Japa-
nese positions across the strait,
where at any hour the Japanese
might try to throw a bridge of
boats and men. In other vantage
spots stationary lookouts kept on
guard for parachutists,
Similarity to Crete.
The similarity of the present sit
uation to that of Crete-with the
proximity of the foe emphasizing
the danger q hundredfold-has i'm
pressed the threat of vertical en-
velopment" on Singapore's de-
tenders.
But the British 1mperials no long
er will be taken by surprise. Spe-
cial attention Is being given to the
parachute threat.
Singapore had four air raid alarms
before am. today. Bombs were
dropped during the first three alerts,
but Hurricane fighters evidently
drove OF the fourth wave before its
racks could be emptied.
Today rounded out the first full
week of japanese siege. The full
strength which the enemy had
poured into Malaga for the two
month advance to the Strait Of Jo-
hore apparently was still moving up
to the invasion coast or still was be-
ing disposed in jump-oh points for
the assault on Singapore.
BY and large, the battle Of Singa-
pore now has become q waiting
game.
Artillery Still Active,
The headquarters communique,
after noting, There is little to report
from Singapore today" said defense
artillery was still smashing at troop
movements across the strait in the
Johore Bahru area with the Japa-
nese intermittently returning the
fire to the northern part of the
island.
The Japanese were lobbing their
shells across the strait with their
larger-type mortars.
OF the continuing Japanese air
attacks, the headquarters said, "Our
forward troops were subjected to
low-level machine-gun and bombing
attacks.
During this mornings raids on
Singapore Island one enemy fighter
was destroyed and three were dam
aged in combat by our fighters, one
of which is missing"
Civilian casualties In yesterdays
air raids were IA killed and 104 in
jured. The announced toll for the
(see SINGAPORE, Page A-6)