DEFENCE OF INDIA.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 62, Issue 122, 5 March 1942, Page 6

DEFENCE OF INDIA.

THE CAMPAIGN IN BURMA.

CHURCHILL TO MAKE STATEMENT LONDON, March 3. The Parliamentary Under-Secretary for India, (the Duke of Devonshire), replying in the House of Lords to inqrviries about the defence of India and the association of Indians with the country’s war effort, said: “We in the Government are not unmindful of the gravity of the It is not desirable to anticipate a statement which is expected in. a few days from the Prime Minister in reply to a letter addressed to him by moderates in India.” The Government of India was fully conscious of the fact that the defence of Burma was essential for British security. Every man who could be spared Tiad been sent to Burma. India already had made very large contributions indeed to the campaign in the Middle East, in Iraq and Iran. and bad played a part in the defence of Ceylon and had had many losses in Malaya. India had done its utmost to sustain and maintain the battle. China was also advancing and cooperating from the north-east in the very important and vital campaign in Burma. Arrangements had been in progress by which India would be icpresented in China and, as India was already represented in Washington, the link between India, China, and America was made very much closer than it was before.

The Duke of Devonshire went on to pay a tribute to the magnificent way in*which the Governor (Sir Reginald Dorman-Smith) had led and inspired the defence o| Burma as Minister for Defence.

He referred to the difficulties of climate experienced by the British troops, who had to light with the equipment required by modern conditions -and to sleep without mosquito nets, which pnicV? tlfeir conditions worse than anything experienced on the Western Front in the last war. Their defence under General T. J. Hutton had been nothing short of heroic. The Duke of Devonshire also referred to the remarkable results achieved up to now by a relatively small force of the R.A.F. and the American volunteer group in repulsing the frequent, almost constant, raids by the Japanese. On February 25 and 26, 51 enemy aircraft were accounted for with the loss of two defenders. No fewer than 160 Japanese aircraft had been .accounted for, including those shot down on these two days, and this did not include losses inflicted on enemy aircraft -on the ground or in enemy-occupied territorv.

The United States Fwler-Seeretary of Static (Mr Sumner Welles) indicated to-day that Administration officials were urgently considering measures to help in the defence of India and establish there a supply base for the armies fighting in China and for the Pacific areas.

A military spokesman in New Delhi said that because -of the Japanese threat against Rangoon there was a supreme need of supplies for China from India hv alternative routes. The Buima road was not closed, hut the lower roaches, perhaps, were not working. The section from Lash in was .open.

The spokesman said that General Sir Archibald Wavell was now in very

good health. Contact with Marshal Chiang Kai-shek was likely to be closer.—British Official Wireless.