Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1942-02-05
Observation Posts
And Batteries
Are Blasted
n the Associated Press.

81 the Associated freSS.
SINGAPORE, Feb. 5.-Despite
continuous bombing and strafing
by Japanese airmen, Singapore's
artillery has blasted enemy OBJ
servation posts, knocked out op-
posing batteries and spread de-
Struction in the transport OF
Japanese troops into iump-off
points for invasion of this island
stronghold.
That the Japanese still have not
won complete control of the air was
demonstrated this morning by Hur-
ricane fighters of the r. A. F. which
intercepted a large formation over
Singapore, shot down one Japanese
plane, probably another and dam
aged third.
Civilian casualties from the last
two days Of blasting and machine
gun strafng by the Japanese air
force neared the 300 mafk-228 in
jured ana 63 killed.
Casualties Called Light.
The people had virtually no safe
places of refuge from bombs. Of
.cially, however, these casualties were
called comparatively light.
CThe Japanese reported that
their guns had been laundering
across the mile-wide Johore
Strait since pm. yesterday,
Singapore time A Toxic broad
cast said the siege guns were
pouring a steady stream of fire
into the British forces and their
positions in a grove of rubber
trees near the head Of the
preached causeway leading from
the Malayan mainland.
FLAMES burst in the greenery
as the japanese shells found
their mark, the broadcast de-
clared, indicating that another
enemy oil tank had been sent up
in flames" The broadcast added:
LAS evening deepened, the thun-
der of guns grew in intenSity.D
Large Troop Movements.
Large movements of Japanese
troops through Johore state toward
the shore facing Singapore Island
were reported by British reconnais-
sance planes. Enemy troops have
been massing in the area of Johore
Bahru since the British Imperials
finally Withdrew to their island
stronghold last Friday night and
early Saturday.
The japanese guns emplaced
across the strait began Smelling the
island last night and British guns
retaliated with a bombardment OF
japanese transports in the Johore
Bahru area and of gun positions.
Japanese planes kept up their
raids on Singapore, making high
level and low dive bombing and
machine attacks on the island,
but the British Far East command
said they caused comparatively little
damage or casualties.
The sirens warning Singapore
residents of the approach of jap
anese planes sounded before dawn
and just as day broke the British
guns began booming in deep chorus.
For while the duel of cannon ragged
across the strait.
The Japanese planes attacked
shipping in Singapore Harbor. Hur-
ricane fighters of the R. A. F. inter-
cepted a large formation Of Jap
anese aircraft over Singapore and
destroyed one, probably destroyed
another and damaged third, the
British reported.
An oil tanker at the naval base,
which was set on fire two days ago
by Japanese bombing, is still burn
ing, the British headquarters COM
munique said.
Shelters Are Urged.
Last night the inhabitants Of
Singapore heard a straight-from-
the-Shoulder broadcast by the rank
ing AFRAID precautions warden,
who urged the authorities to utilize
unemployed mining engineers to
tunnel hills around the city to pro-
vide Shelter for the poorer Asiatic
community who have no protection"
The warden bluntly asserted:
at is no use telling the people
that Malta has had thousand raids
and they have stuck it, or that
Chungking has had worse than
we've had. Those places have ideal
shelters and we have nothing ex-
cept drains and odd slit trenches"
The provision of deep AFRAID
shelters for Singapore was the sub
ject of long debates in government
councils for months before the out
break of the conflict in Malaga, but
referring the problem to commit
tees of experts, the authorities an