SANGUINARY BATTLE

Evening Star, Issue 24138, 7 March 1942, Page 7

SANGUINARY BATTLE

RANGOON-LASHIO RAILWAY LITTLE CHANGE IN GENERAL SITUATION IN BURMA (British Official Wireless.) (Rec. 8 a.m.) RUGBY, March 6. An official report from Mandalay states that British tank forces supporting the infantry north-east of Pegu inflicted terrible losses on the Japanese during a sanguinary battle for the Rangoon-Lashio railway. A Rangoon communique received early to-day states that on the Sittang front there is little change. Yesterday and on Wednesday our troops attacked a village area and captured a number of 77 mm. guns and sin mortars. Considerable casualties were inflicted on the enemy. Our troops broke up Japanese supply transports. Patrol action continued throughout the night. The R.A.F. carried out reconnaissance and patrol work. A small patrol of R.A.F. fighters encountered a largo formation of Japanese aircraft. In spite of tho numerical superiority the Japanese formation was broken up. One Japanese bomber was shot clown. Wo had no losses. In Rangoon life carries on quietly, but reports aro still coming to hand of brutality and lawlessness in' outlying areas. DEFENCE OF RANGOON BRITISH STRIKING HARD LONDON, March 7. . A message from Burma states that British armed forces are striking hard in the defence of Rangoon. In the area around Pegu sections of our forces came into contact with the enemy, and gave a very good account of themselves. They inflicted heavy casualties on the Japanese. The situation in the north is unchanged. CEYLON DEFENCES STRENGTHENED COLOMBO, March 5. British reinforcements arc arriving in Ceylon, which is preparing to meet possible aggression. The Governor, Sir Andrew Caldecott, stated that the local defence forces have been reinforced by many soldiers, sailors, and airmen from England and India. INDIAN PRODUCTION VALUE OF INDUSTRIAL RESEARCH (British Official Wireless.) (Rec. 9.56 a.m.) RUGBY, Mar. 6. Not only is Indian production making steady progress, but also industrial research is adding valuable assistance to her effort, according to information from India. An example is a new type of cotton and jute canvas which, even nnproofed, can be used as a substitute for flax canvas, which has been produced by the jute mills. This is considered all the more important in view of the fact that the already meagre supply of flax has been drastically curtailed owing to development of the war in tho Far East. A quantity of flax fibre is produced in Bengal under Government flax cultivation schemes. The possibility of spinning the fibre on jute machinery and producing acceptable economical supplies of flax materials for the defence services is now under investigation.

Measures to expand the production of rubber-soled brown canvas shoes to meet the increasing requirements of the defence services are under consideration. It is thought that production can bo increased sufficiently to cover all the requirements so far notified for 1942-4,'i. Considerable progress is also being made with the manufacture of war materials, while during the past fortnight the war orders placed by Eastern Supply Group countries have been particularly numerous.