DRIVE INTO NORTH

Press, Volume LXXXVII, Issue 26396, 14 April 1951, Page 7

DRIVE INTO NORTH

Stubborn Enemy

Resistance (N.Z. Press Association— Copyright) (Rec. 12.10 a.m.) TOKYO. April 13. Communist defences in Yonchon crumbled yesterday when an armoured column entered the - town, which is just south of the important road and rail junction of Chorwon. The only resistance to tanks came from a small group immediately south of the town. It fled, leaving a number killed.

From Yonchon eastwards to the Hwachon reservoir the Communists S still held on stubbornly in most laces. United Nations troops made tile progress in spite ot heavy air and artillery support. American troops, who crossed the Hantan river, north of Yongpyong, came under heavy fire from Communist pillboxes on the north bank. They burned the enemy out with flamethrowers, inflicting many casualties. The' Bth Army this morning estimated that there were 2450 Communist casualties yesterday. Allied bombers and fighters blasted Seat Communist convoys throughout st night to prevent a further buildup against the Allied advance, now blocked in many places. The planes swept over roads leading to the front as dusk fell and claimed the destruction of about 130 vehicles. Pilots sighted about 1350 trucks, mostly moving south. The Communists were stil’ building up strength in the central sector.

American jet fighters and medium bombers destroyed or damaged 29 enemy M.I.G. 15 jet fighters in dogfights reminiscent of the air battles of World War 11.

U.S. CASUALTIES

TOTAL NEARLY 60,000 (Rec. 8 p.m.) . , WASHINGTON, April 12. The United States Defence Department to-dav announced a new total of 59,396 American casualties in the Korean war. The latest figure is 846 more than the total a week ago. It includes 10,080 dead, 38,550 wounded, 9544 missing, 113 captured, and 1109 men once reported missing, but now returned to duty.