FIERCE BATTLE

Auckland Star, Volume LXXIII, Issue 45, 23 February 1942, Page 5

FIERCE BATTLE

STRUGGLE FOR BURMA Strong Air Support For British Forces Rec. 2 p.m. LONDON, Feb. 22. The Rangoon radio announces that fighting is continuing between the Sittang and Bilin Rivers. Our troops are still inflicting heavy casualties on the enemy and Allied aircraft are active over the front line, giving powerful support to the ground forces. Japanese bombers raided Mamymo, in central Burma, causing slight damage. Authoritative reports from Burma indicate that heavy fighting is still going on behind the Bilin River. The Japanese claim to have reached Pegu, on the railway north of Rangoon, is regarded in London as utterly unfounded. It is recalled that the Japanese have previously announced the capture of places from which their troops were some distance away, as, for instance, the Johore causeway. v A report from Chungking says Chinese and Allied troops repulsed a Japanese attack near Mong Yin, in north-east Burma. The Japanese attempted to cross the river west of Chiengsen, near the junction of the Thai, Indo-China and Burmese borders, but were thrown back.

A Rangoon communique yesterday stated: "After our withdrawal behind the Bilin River the enemy first crossed the river to the west bank northward of the town of Bilin and subjected our forward brigades to a heavy attack. We launched a counter-attack. The enemy continually tried to envelop our left flank while increasing his pressure on our right. Our main positions have been left intact as a result of constant counter-attacks."