ESTIMATE OF GREAT BRITISH FLEET

Dominion, Volume 37, Issue 165, 10 April 1944, Page 5

ESTIMATE OF GREAT BRITISH FLEET

Burma-India Campaign (Received April 9, 7 p.m.)

LONDON, April 8. The strength of the British fleet jn the Indian Ocean, according to the estimates of the Tokio correspondent of the German overseas news agency, is seven or eight battleships, five aircraft-carriers, eight heavy cruisers, eight light cruisers, and a number of destroyer flotillas. “It is doubtful whether the Japanese offensive against India can be carried. out by land alone,” he says. "The British fleet has the defensive role of countering Japanese attempts to support the land operations through outflanking landings along the Bay of Bengal.” . A Tokio communique claims that the Japanese forces iu Assam captured Kohima, north of Imphal. early on Thursday, but reports reaching New Delhi do not confirm this. Reuter’s New Delhi correspondent yesterday stated: "The Japanese appear to be preparing to launch their first mam attack against Kohima, the Allied base 40 miles inside India, at any moment. The enemy has been steadily building up his strength, and the close nature of the country favours the Japanese infiltration tactics. The Alfies however, anticipated the move, and Kohima is extremely well defended. “There is every confidence nt India that both Kohima and Imphal will be able to withstand any assault. "The Indian 17th Division meanwhile has cleared its way to Imphal and is now in a strategic position to counter any threatened Japanese offensive in the area. "Several times the Japanese claimed to have annihilated the division, but actually its casualties were light.” CLAIM BY INDIAN All-Women Regiment With Japanese (Received April 9, 10.20 p.m.) NEW YORK, April 9. “The Japanese drive into India is both psychologically and militarily more dangerous because it is using one all-women regiment designed to win over or, neutralize the Indian troops,” said Sirdar J. J. Singh, president: of the Indian League of America, according to the New York "Daily Mirror.” The women's regiment was named after the Rhaiii of Jhansi, who was culled India's Joan of Arc because she was killed while leading troops against the British in 1857, he said. Neither Lord Wavell nor Mr. Churchill could successfully appeal to the Indian people, but if leaders like Nehru were given the chance they alone could create united opposition to the Japanese and Chandra Bose, the Indian quisling.