JUNGLE PATROLS

Auckland Star, Volume LXXV, Issue 66, 18 March 1944, Page 7

JUNGLE PATROLS

BOW AND ARROW WAR

STEALTHY WORK IN BURMA LONDON. From this forward position in the teak-covered slopes of the mountain range separating India from Burma you can see columns of smoke rising from Japanese positions on the other side of the River Chindwin, says the Daily Mail's special correspondent with the British forces in Burma.

Every day a new column seems to spiral up from the- jungle which fringes the river, for the Japanese— rattled by the success of the Wingate Expedition—are keeping close watch on this river, which forms a natural defence line against any British attack upon Burma. About 100 miles to the south-west, in the wild, jungle-covered Chin Hills, the Japanese are trying to oust British and Indian forces from outposts, but news of these smallscale engagements is scarce up here, for we are located at the most easterly point held by any British troops along the 1000-mile frontier.

This front—described as the "forgotten front" earlier in the year— has sprung to life in the last few weeks.

We and the Japanese have come down from our monsoon mountain perches and taken up jungle action stations. We are both pushing out patrols to probe behind the lines and report.

Tjong Training A Burma patrol is one of the toughest military assignments in the world. It has taken these Southern English County troops 18 months of jungle training to reach the stage when they can crawl to within a few yards of the Japanese positions and stay there undetected. They wear green hattle-dress, canvas shoes, with Tommy-guns slung over their shoulders, and Gurkha knives in their belts. Stealth is so essential that the patrols use bows and arrows to pick off Japanese tree snipers. The leader used to teach English and Scripture at a South-Country village school. To-day he is one of the coolest and toughest jungle fighters on the frontier. "We got to within 50 yards of one Japanese position," he said. "The men were good. They move more quietly every patrol. "They have learned to talk in whispers, and that is one of the most important things. "Anyway, we were within 50 yards of this position when we were spotted by a tree sniper. It was the usual set-up: in the next tree there was a dummy. ft "When he spotted us he shook a string attached to the dummy in the hope of drawing our fire. "We did not bite. Then he tapped on a piece of bamboo to give the alarm.

"We lay around for a short time, then crawled away."