KALEWA TAKEN

Evening Post, Volume CXXXVIII, Issue 134, 4 December 1944, Page 5

KALEWA TAKEN

IMPORTANT GAIN IN BURMA

LONDON, December 3. Pushing down from north-western Burma, East African forces have had an important success in capturing the town of Kalewa, which has been described as one of the gateways to central Burma.

Since 1942, when General Alexander's army fell back across the Chindwin River to the Indian frontier Kalewa has been one of the main Japanese forward bases in the north-west. It is a useful centre for river traffic coming right up from the Irrawaddy. To take the town the East Africans had to push eastward along a long nar-

row gorge. The Japanese made skilful use of all obstacles, and it looked as if the attackers had a long job ahead of them, but since they left the Indian frontier area back in August they have proved adepts in jungle warfare.

A correspondent says that the Japanese are leaving behind huge quantities of supplies. Other East African troops who had pushed south along the west bank of the Chindwin have now linked up with the forces in Kalewa.

In northern Burma Chinese troops in the south-east sector of Bhamo have improved their salient by slight gains.