1950-11-07 — Page 7

THE CHINA MAIL, TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 7, 1950,

FOURTH BOOK: 'THE HINGE OF FATE

S

CORES of thousands of words in the surest codes had been tele- graphed between the British, United States, Dutch, Australia, New Zen-

Indian,

Chinese land,

and to Governments

create the ABD.A. [American British ̈- Dutch Australian] Command under Its Supreme Commander IGen. Wavell). It was staffed the utrict proportion to claims of the different Powers, and all in triplicate for the Hardly Army, Navy and Air. had all this been agreed for the five Powers and the Services when the whole vast area con- cerned was conquered by the Japanese, and the combined fleet of the Allies was subk ia the forlorn bottle of the Java Sea.

Tho Japanese conquests ni- of ready threatened the chain islands that form the southern fringe of the Malay barrier, of which the largest are Sumatra and Java. At each step the his gains enemy consolidated

by establishing air bases from

he could which

also strike against the next chosen vie. tim. Never did his forces pass beyond the reach of his power- ful, shore-based air cover or of his aircraft carriers at aco. Hora

was the fulfilment in full strategic rurprise of the long cherished and profound plans of a milltary nation.

Effort waning

For Wavell all turned on the arrival of reinforcements. Nothing could be done to save the smull Dutch garrisons nt the key points of the central islands, and we have seen want happened at Singapore. The Dutch...with their homeland in bondage, had no further re- sources on which to call Their full effort had been engaged from the outset, and was now waning.

The two Australian div11058 from the Middle East and EA

anti-aircraft re-

*way. Three giments nuked airfields of Java, The Indomitable flew 48 Hurricane.

Rangoon

A

M

Dac 10

Dec 11

Lingayan at

Manila

Luzon

-Dez Zb

PACIFIC

Dec 11 PHILIPPINE

ISLANDS

0 C

EAN

Sandaman

Bangkok

J

C

Gulf of Siam

FRENCH INDO-CHINA

Balgor

SOUTH

Camranh Bay

CHINA.

• Nicobar

Is

Det B

•Singara Dac,

S'E A

SULU

SEA

Amankou Bhory

Mindanao

MALAYA

⇓ Notera i

Dec 16

DON Mini

Jblo

NORTH CORNLY

Dec 20

Jan 10 CELRORS

ง

Dec-23

Farahan

SARAWAK

SEA

Jan 11

Halmahera

N O

1 AN

M

Malac

AT

Mirneda

NEW

Ftb tl/15

B ORN BO

Fab 16 Banjarma

CELE

Jon 30 Am

Jan 24

GUINEA

ykandari

Banka 13. Polembonga

{Mar 1

Gosthardin Booker Boy

SEA -Mar 11-Mar

• Christmas!

Cocos 18

AVA

REVERSES

Ramborg

ν

Feb 18

314

FLORES

Lombor

Scole of Miles

AREA OF

On should be sent to Burma.

TONS of bombers flew from Egypt via India to Sumatra. Eight of these aircraft even tually reached Java, Everything that wo could lay our hands upon was sent.

The

States Aslatic United Fleet, withdrawn from the Philippines, had already been sent

British and to join the

link Dulch naval forces. Every

cupied. effort was made by the Amer At

Cats

and

alr.

who

In

Seembat

CHAPTER SIX:

IN

SCA

Timor

DSTRALIA

"AUSTRALIAN

THE ABDA OPERATIONS

all at

was

air

dismissed

in

Admiral Doorman re-formed

scattered and shrunken

hie

the

`aquadron, and led them round in enemy's flank, hoping

the convoy of trans. confused

striko

ports. Intermittent

phting continued.

The enemy,

who had now been reinforced, were fully informed of all his mavements from the ale

The American destroyers had dila harged all their torpedoes and were sent back to Sourabaya, The British destroyer Jupiter struck

the mino, laid by Dutch that very day, and sank Immediately, with heavy loss of

liza.

ü

Same time after 10,30 Ad mural Doorman, steaming for ward, encountered two Ja- paroso cruisers, and after

lerce action both the Dutch eruiners

and were torpedoed

A

sunk, carrying with them tho brave Dutch admirel who had

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fought so well against Buch Braathens S.A.F.E. Airtransport A/S

heavy odds.

The Perth and

Houston, having

successfully

disengaged, steered for Batavia which they reached the follow- ing afternoon. -

Bitter end

We must follow the story i Its bitter enu.. mer refuelling, the Australian and American cruisers left Balavin again, the samo night, occking to pass through the Sunda Straits, By chanco they fell amidst the ronin Japanese Western Attack Forco just as its transports. were disembarking troops In Banten Boy, at the extremo

end of Java. western

They took their vengeance before they perished Linking LWN transporta while unloading their troops. Both the Aug. tralian and American capiníos went down with their ships.

At first prey.

Death blow

Smothered

The four American destroyers which had fought in the battin the previous day had used all their torpedoes. Nevertheless they sailed on the alght af Feb. 28, and slipped througn the narrow Bali Stralt, ma countering only a single enemy patrol, which they brushed and translated on the De Ruyler's aside. By daylight they wern war against Japan from under Admiral Doorman,

to the southward. of British ships, bridge by an American liaison clem away armoured brigade were on thele and that all Southern Sumatr the

would fall into Japanese hands. this main base. I hope you the Western,

Tanjong Priok, the port of ameer before transmission. His and reached Australia. Gen. Wavell had forecast realize how highly I and

by urgent plea for protection

This

route was not possibir wore hurried to the that the invasion of Java, our your friends here, as well as Batavia,

the few fighters remaining at for the larger Exeter, and on would begin the last stronghold,

President and the Com-

On the 28th the Western

with no re- the Sourabaya met

evening of the 28th she of February, bined Staffs

Washington, the end before

the sponse. During the night of the sailed with the Encounter and off her deck; two more squad, and that with what he had, or rate your admirable conduct of striking force, comprising

cruisers Hobart (Australian), 26th be sought the enemy

the Unlied States destroyer the in operations likely to get, there was A.B.D.A. Was

Danac and Dragon, with the valn and in the morning he Pope, hoping to pass the Sunda and He teeth of succes9, hope

of adverse fortune little

to Sourabaya to fuel Straits and reach Ceylon. destroyers Scout and Tenedos, returned therefore recommended that all overwhelming odds.

-having mude various attempls his destroyers. As he was 'cn- the Australian troops in transit Wavell and [Air Chief Mar to find the enemy, were or- tering the harbour peremptory to retire through the orders reached him from Ad- the 18th the beautiful island of shall] Peirse left Bandoeng by dered

to

Helfrich

an to attack Straits

Colombo, miral of Sunda The American pilot

of Ball, next to Java on the east, the aeroplane for the Supreme which

safely enemy

force located west

Next

this morning

little they reached fell, and in the next few days Commander sald to someone fow days later. Scarcity of Baween.

group was discovered, and soon air Timor, our only remaining

his cockpit, fuel

Japanese crul- continuous came into

and the

Doorman turned his tired four prowling

by destroyers with Australia, was oc- "Say, I have only this rallway attack on Tanjong Priok were forces again to seaward, and an sers, supported

The why the Western hour later, soon after 4 p.m., and aircraft, closed in on moment Admiral map, but It's all right, as I am the ronsons this

by over- Lok we are to go to place striking force to send aircraft by air Nagumo's fast carrier group of called Saylon, which is mark at

the battle was joined.

the Exeter, this juncture. Hud they the forces were not unevenly whelming gunfire or sea to the Allled command:

Pearl Harbour fame. now

And they flew off nearly joined ed."

Admiral Doorman'a balanced. A gun duel at long famous from the Plate battle but the distances were im-

consisting of four large car. 1,000 milàs to "Saylon." Wavell Eastern force they could only

caused rengo

no damage to in 1930, was soon reduced mense, and the Japanese ana-

with battleship

and riers

received her had ni extraordinary record have shared its fate. chine was working with speed

either side, and a series of tor- impotence, cruiser support, appeared

in the air. He was in danger and precision.

the Timor Sea, and on the 18th of fatal peeldent at least six or

pedo attacks by Japanese des- death-blow from a torpedo be troyer were equally ineffec- fore noon.. Both the Encounter delivered a devastating air at-

One enemy ship was hit and the Pope were sunk,

Our

were thus tack on the crowded shipping even times, but he never got

naval forces He was thought to be a hurt.

Meanwhile at 8.30 p.m. an and set on Are after half Jonah,

but in an acroplane;

2011 Doorman salled from hour's fighting, but a little later destroyed, and Java was close- Exeler was struck In a ly invested on three sides by De Ruyter, the

Japanese. After the had Headquarters fire bearing his flag, with the heavy boiler room: her speed dropped the

cruiser Exeter (British) and and she turned away to port. Supreme

all the Allied (American), whose The ships astern of her con- een dispersed

forces issed to the command the Houston

for the defoncu efter turret was out of action, formed to her movements.

of the Dutch- the light cruisers Java (Dutch)

of the Jeland. General ter Poorten commanded the 25,000 regular troops of the Dutal by the Carrison, who were joined time the mmo About and two Dutch. Admiral Half-

contingent under

Sitwell, Com- The Dutch Admiral Helfrich rich's orders to Doorman were, Dutch desture. Aortenner was the British

must continue attacks torpedoed and sunk. Admiral Major-General

Australian bat- the "You now took command of

then retured south pricing three naval forces. the enemy, is destroyed." Doorman

tallons, a light tank squadron Hasound principle, and cast and tho general action This An attempt by a small nova Indo-China.

resolute Dutchman never This

broken off. except that of the 3rd Hussars, and squadron to interfere with an Eastern Attack Group at 41 abandoned hope, and continued the Japanese invasion convoys was

tremendous prize, but the destroyer Electra, trying to improvised unit of armed enemy convoy emerging from transports called from Jolo, in to attack the enemy vigorously were a

this case it ignored the deliver a torpedo attack through from administrative ualts, in- the Macassar Strait on Feb. ↑ the Sulu Sco, to Balikpapan, regardless of cost or the over- in

to crushing superiority of the the Japanese smoke-screen, was cluding 450 of the RAF, to- with a number of was driven back with loss by where they arrived on the 23rd, whelming strength opposed

by three Japanese gether Ho was a worthy suc- cromy, his complete mastery of Intercepted

The American artillery-men." attack, and reports began. On the 21st our Combined him.

the destroyer and sunk, to the

famous Dutch the air, and the fact that to come in of a powerful Ja Chiefs of Staff told Gen. Wavell Cessor

force To meet Western striking

had Exeter, after being stopped for The Dutch had about ten air .Dali'ge force massing at the

a while, was able to steam at squadrons, that Java was to be defended scamen of the past.

but many of their Anambra Jalanda. Our

attack on Java, for which been sent away. al in the last by the troops al- the

now unservice- convoys were at sta. Admiral Doorman: also lacked 15 knots, and was ordered back aircraft were force at Palembang, mainly ready in the Island,

common codo of tactical to Sourabaya, escorted by the abic. The RAF. After the Australian squadrons, consisted no more reinforcements would he formed two striking forces, a

be remaining Dutch destroyer.

withdrawal from Sumatra was де Eastern of 40 bombers and about 50 be sent.

Sourabava, signals. Hia orders had to He was also ordered the

formed into five squidrons, of Hurrication, Inadequately to withdraw his headquarters;

which only about 40 machines viced

and protected by A.A. from

Wavoll replied Java.

fit. There remained guns short of ammunition.

that ho considered that the

score of American Dghters and A.B.DA. Command should he

bombers.

Tired forces

Did his best

in Port Darwin, causing much Wavell did his best to the loss of life. For the remainder Jonah always survived, and so the the storm. He formed na al of this brief campaign Darwin did the aeroplane. On this oc- Surabaya in the

to be of value as Palembang. ceased

striking force at At sca American and Dutch base,

submarines

harried the vari-

ous invasion forces cast incl

2

Attack on Java mes

caston the plone caught In the air, but after a struggle the crew extinguished without waking Commander-in-Chief.

the

west of Borneo, not withou success. The attack on Balik As We now know, the JR-

and Perth (Australian), and nine destroyers, of which three

papan was resisted, and four panese D-Day for the invasion Admiral Helfrich were British, four American,

American destroyers Bank four of Java was Feb. 28. On the transports. A fifth feil a vi 18th the Westem Attack comprising 56 trans-

tim to a Dutch aircraft.

the air replenishments

barely replaced wastagv.

air

But Group. hall ports, with a powerful escort,

left Camranh Bay, in French dwindling Allled

the On the 19th

but that large

Palembang battle dissived and not withdrawn,

and this was agreed.

convoy of 25 or more transports could from the Anambas was attack- military

Upon 'to

ihn! see, the principle commanders

·

tive.

Enemy's flank

on

C.V.R. Thompson reports the U.S. scene werd

NEW YORK. at dinners and on the radio, all over New York....The Rus NE after another, and TV. He doesn't want to aluns promised never to use an

them.'

of

*

The surrender

an men

PL

24

On Feb. 13 the Japanese I always followed so for an I O Government blawg, outshine others, including the atom bomb against América if should have come out with warni- lie had forgotten, Sir Oliver use General MacArtbur against

To this scanty force foll the | duty-of defending the island, led by all avallable bombers, not be judged by results, but ings of bigger taxes ahead. Franks.

the whose northern shore was Ou But without any decisive effect, by the quality of their effort. I

Treasury boss John Snyder,

But:

Sir

Gladwyn got HOARDER: Found in

long, with countless Seven of our phreaft were las had never had illusions about tho Senate's

export money

John miles. 77-year-old another hearty pat on the back home she bext morning 700 Japanese A.BDA., and now sought only Walter George,

who dlod

In landing beaches. Tho, Japancio and half

the other day. Sald the New Hacusaler. ve Burma and India. dozen other talked of excess York Herald-Tribune.

Town: "A Mount Vernon, PAXUNDULINE,ty aescengca

Four convoys from the east and west

four

or five divi discharged the Palembang, and all day n hot admired

composure and profits taxes by Christmas, of shrewd and forceful Aghter for thousand pounds of sugar. of mind with which bigger individual taxes all, next freedom and one of the ablcat

sions. The end could not be battle was fought for the air firmness

Had they been on up- Wavell had, faced the cataract year to pay for rearming minds which the dimeult now field.

ROCKED already by their long delayed. Many thousand

British and Americans, ported-3; thon parachutista in of disaster which had been And all this led Itena Worm- diplomacy of international ac- worst-ever police scandal, New f

that including 6,000 sirmen, with time would all have been des choigned to him with so much ser, a lecturer, on money mat tion is developing."

Yorkere wero", ""warned" New York meat- Someters, to tell a

had their fine commander, Maltby, trayed, but on the 16th the formality and precision.

there had been Some

· found ren- advance echolon: of the powol mon would have

of women- shareholders CARS: Young Henry Ford deals in their city's school and over 8,000 Bellish and

which will shus Juvanion force arrived on sons for declining,

Australian troops, were sur- (or asked, something,"

causo has startled all the other car building programine. conditions bo- trouble for their husbands. makers of Detroit Everyone themont equipped with land- for impossible

rendered by Dutch decalon on ing-start that carried them up fore accepting a task so badling Said he: "A wife is becom- expected him to raise the price

Max, Moss, President of the March 8. river approaches

I had been decided to fight and hopeless, failure in which ing increasingly valuable of his car because of increased Board of Education, sold that Every available aircraft was could not but damage their her husband. In this tax ago, material costs and his escortain contractors and some to the end with the Dutch In

* in decision par bis mon more.

I hopes rÖ- sured against the ships and reputation with the publie: a wife in worth her weight

than olhar Nim. But, al school oficials would soon be Java. Although landing craft, great loses ware Wavoll's conduct had conform axemptions."

irregularities muined of victory, at least con

several What he was getting at: A though he expenses have gone prosecuted for

nable Antioped, and the alluck was ed to the best tradition of the

„enomy" "expeditions Estayedryoniza, to bo: rusumed. na Army, I therefore repilad::

were delayed in their quest for new tax law allows a married up £20,000,000 a year, Ford Costing the taxpayers

DOW Prices, The Japaneso his churt inevitably de Prime Minister to General man to me that he paid aid that he would not a Talso

dunquest of the Dutch Eat Wavell

over half is income to his prices. Hile redson: Indation - IANDALS; TH

dies, was", complete NEKIAMASZARIYE JALA, pour ne Feb 22 1942, and then each da se hurts everybody We are doing Council of Crom Hurricanes and 40 bonitors When zun cease to command al for taxes in a lower base, aux b

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