FAR EAST WAR

Greymouth Evening Star, 5 March 1943, Page 5

FAR EAST WAR

CHINESE CLAIMS CHUNGKING, March 3. A Chinese communique states: In Suiyuan Province, Chinese forces drove enemy forces back near Tashuwan. In Chekiang, Chinese forces attacked Kinhwa. They killed many Japanese and destroyed Japanese defences in Yientang. In Yunnan, 1200 Japanese unsuccessfully attempted a surprise attack from Tamwnglung in a heavy fog. JAPANESE REVERSES (Recd. 10.30 a.m.) CHUNGKING, March 4. Japanese drives in the Kiangsu and Kiangsi provinces have more or less failed, and the thrust on the Salween front has been checked, said the Chinese military spokesman. He added that Japanese troops on the various fronts appear to have lost the fighting spirt.

To-day’s communique states: Enemy forces which reached Mengting in the Yunnan province, and are seeking to penetrate along the Burma Road, continued eastward. The Chinese stiffly counter-attacked, and the enemy fled to Nanpangho, north-east of Mengting, where they are still engaged. Enemy troops south of .Lishui, as the result of a fierce Chinese attack were forced to retreat in a south-westerly direction, suffering heavy casualties.

CHINESE IN INDIA.

CHUNGKING, March 3

General Stilwell and the Chinese Minister of War, General Hoyingchen, have returned from a tour of Allied bases in India. They were gratified by military and physical regeneration of remnants of the Chinese Fifth and Sixth Armies, which were driven from Burma last Spring. These troops are now mechanised, in fighting trim, and showing expert marksmanship with all weapons from tommy guns to artillery. They are being trained in all phases of infantry and artillery warfare.

ENTERPRISING JAP

NEW YORK, March 3.

American bomber and fighter crews, based in China, are pursuing a personal vendetta against a Japanese one-man army. This Japanese is perched high upon bluffs in a Salween River gorge. The dogged machine-gunner has already shot down one plane and has shot another two planes full of holes. His first victim was Lieutenant Donald Brookfield, whose plane he shot down during a dive-bombing attack on Japanese barracks. Brookfield baled out, returned to his base, and later guided a bomber squadron back to the spot. There the Americans unloaded one hundred demolition bombs, destroying seventy-five per cent, of the Japanese installations. However, the Japanese machinegunner continued blazing away. The Americans say that he must be further discouraged. He is too interested in his job.