LINE OF ENEMY RETREAT

Evening Post, Volume CXXXIX, Issue 118, 21 May 1945, Page 5

LINE OF ENEMY RETREAT

BOMBAY, May lb. .The Japanese in Burma appear to ba generally retreating towards the Moulmein terminus of the Burma-Thailand railway, says the special correspondent of the Australian Associated Press. They appear to be in very poor physical condition. East of Toungoo dumps of spares valued at £300,000 have been located. The Japanese are fighting stubbornly here to keep open the road from Toungoo across the Shan Hills into Thailand, and attempting to evacuate a large amount of equipment. They are being followed up by tanks and infantry. Elsewhere mopping-up parties of the 14th Army are inflicting heavy casualties. The story of one of the largest air moves of men and equipment in the history of India, Burma, and China theatres is revealed by a correspondent at Eastern Air Command Headquarters. Early last December the Japanese ground troops were driving west from Liouchow, and seriously threatening.Chungking and Kunming, las well as the eastern terminus of the air and land communications routes between India and China. To meet this situation it was decided to transport by air to China from Burma the 14th and 22nd Divisions of the Chinese 6th Army, together with their pack animals and equipment. The 14th Division was moyed in December and the 22nd Division at the end of December and early in January. More than 25,000 men and .1500 pack animals were transported, as well as scores of jeeps, howitzers, and mftrtars. More than 1500 sorties were flown from bases in the Myitkyina area to airfields in the vicinity of Kurong. ,^ mm __ mm __ mmmm ___ mmmmmm