JAPANESE ATTACK ON MALAYA

JAPANESE LAUNCH ATTACK ON MALAYA

On December 8 a fleet of Japanese transports, with strong naval support, approached the mouth of the Kelantan River, North-East Malaya, and landings were carried out north of Kota Bahru. On the same day a British Naval force which was steaming to intercept the enemy convoy was heavily attacked with bombs and torpedoes by a strong force of Japanese bomber. The Prince of Wales and the Repulse were hit several times and sunk. At the time of the attack the ships were without aerial protection owing to enemy attacks on the airfields from which their land-based aircraft operated. Casualties amounted to 595 officers and men, among whom was Admiral Sir Thomas (Tom Thumb) Phillips. The picture by the British artist, Frank Mason, shows the height of the attack.

UNGLE WARFARE IN MALAYA

After carrying out landings in Northern Malaya early in December, the Japanese launched strong assaults on the British positions with light tanks and armored vehicles, support by masses of dive bombers. Further landings on the coast behind the British lines seriously threatened the defenders' flanks and forced them to carry out a series of tactical withdrawals in face of strong enemy pressure. By these tactics the Japanese gained control of the northern aerodromes and were able to concentrate overwhelming air superiority on all sectors of the front. By December 17, Penang, on the west coast, had been evacuated, and on the 29th the mining town of Ipoh was in Japanese hands. On January 7 the enemy launched a strong offensive in Lower Perak in which he used 12-ton tanks to crash his way through the British lines. As a result Kuala Lampur, capital of the Federated Malay States, was evacuated on the 11th. The pictures show: first, enemy tanks and motor vehicles on a jungle road on fire after being engaged by anti-tank guns; second, one of the crew lies dead beside his tank; third, British anti-tank gunners firing at enemy tanks, and fourth, a close-up of a knocked-out tank with its dead crew by its side.

On January 20, Japanese and Thai forces crossed the frontier into Burma and fighting occurred north of Myawaddi, sixty miles east of Moulmein. In face of a numerically superior enemy the British forces were obliged to fall slowly back towards Moulmein. The enemy used strong air forces to support his offensive, but fighters of the R.A.F. and the American Volunteer Group inflicted heavy losses on the raiders. Above, Japanese infantry, some of whom are equipped with cycles, are seen crossing a river by a temporary bridge, the main structure having been destroyed by the British before they retired.

AUSTRALIA THREATENED

After a Japanese landing on Sarawak on December 16, the British forces withdrew, on January 1, to Dutch Borneo, where they joined up with Netherlands troops. On the 10th, however, the enemy landed at Tarakan, Dutch Borneo, and also on North Celebes. The oil installations at Tarakan were destroyed by the Dutch before they were forced to surrender on the 13th. On January 22, after fresh enemy landings, the oil wells at Balikpapan, on the east coast, were destroyed to prevent them falling into enemy hands. On the same day landings were carried out on New Ireland and at Rabaul, capital of New Britain, in the Bismarck Archipelago, thereby threatening New Guinea and bringing the war dangerously close to Australia. On the 23rd, heavy Japanese air raids were made on Lae, New Guinea, which was evacuated after the attack. The pictures show: first, blazing hangars at the airfield at Salamaua, not far from Lae, after a heavy Japanese raid; and second, the Balikpapan oil wells blazing furiously after their voluntary destruction by the Dutch forces. The radioed pictures show: third, a Japanese landing party somewhere in the Pacific; and fourth, warships putting up a smoke screen to cover a landing by Japanese.

On February 1, a brilliant surprise attack was carried out on Japanese naval and air bases in the Marshall and Gilbert Islands by a U.S. force of aircraft carriers supported by cruisers and destroyers. Heavy damage was caused to enemy ships and harbor installations and many planes were destroyed on the ground. The Japanese losses amounted to one light cruiser, a destroyer, two submarines, a l7,000 ton liner, three 10,000 ton tankers, five 5,000 ton cargo ships, two fleet auxiliaries and two minesweepers, amounting in all to some 100,000 tons. In addition at least eight more ships, amounting to about 50,000 tons, were severely damaged. Thirty-eight enemy aircraft were destroyed in combat for a loss of eleven U.S. planes. The air bases at Taroa, Wotje, Roy and Enybor were wiped out. No U.S. vessel was lost. The pictures, taken during these operations, show: first, a U.S. naval plane over Wotje Atoll, the columns of smoke come from ammunition and fuel dumps that have been set on fire. Second, an American cruiser and aircraft carrier during the action; the latter has just been narrowly missed by a Japanese bomb. Third, the flight deck to one of the aircraft carriers with its aircraft lined up on the deck ready to take off


Japanese continue their advance in Burma
February 15-22, 1942




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