CUT BY BOMBING

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXII, Issue 21619, 23 January 1945, Page 3

CUT BY BOMBING

BURMA RAILWAY RRiDGES~WRECKED

GAINS ON RAMREE ISLE (11 a.m.) - RUGBY, Jan. 22.

The main railway line in Burma — Mandalay to Rangoon—has been cut again. Crews of an Allied air squadron who attacked the bridges at Swa yesterday and on Sunday report that all four bridges are now unserviceable. The main bridge, a 300 ft. structure crossing the Swa Chaung (waterway), a mile south of the Swa station, was unserviceable before the attack. Aircraft yesterday claimed direct hits on it, thus further impeding the repair work. They also got hits on an adjoining wooden trestle by-pass bridge. South of the station, two road bridges 300 ft. each cross the Swa Chaung. Both were destroyed yesterday. Swa is about 30 miles south of Pyinmana, the chief junctionj on the line where a branch railway swings north-east of Kyaukpadaung in the oilfields area, while the line runs on 150 miles north to Mandalay. Kyaukpyu Occupied

A communique issued by Allied South-east Asia Headquarters says: “Following a heavy naval and air bombardment on Sunday morning British and Indian troops effected a landing with little opposition on the north of Ramree Island and formed a bridgehead. They entered Kyaukpyu at the northern end of the island. Tanks and artillery supported our troops against opposition on the high ground west of Kyaukpyu. “In the Kaladan Valley, our troops are three miles from Myohaung. A feature two and a half miles east of Teinnyo has been captured. The Chinese 38th Division moved into Muse and there joined up with the Chinese Expeditionary Force, who entered from the north. British troops carried out ambushes along the Irrawaddy River. In Outskirts of Monywa

"Our troops advancing down the Shwebo-Sagain road encountered strong resistance about 18 miles from Sagain. In the north-eastern outskirts of Monywa, we captured a rifle range and are engaged in street fighting. Over 100 aircraft took part in strikes on enemy positions in and around the town. We have extended our bridgehead east of the Irrawaddy River 18 miles east of Shwebo.

“The Allied air forces in stx-ength covered the landings on Ramree Island. Concentrated bombing saturated strong-points and the beaches were strafed until the assault craft landed and hill features and Japanese positions were attacked ahead of ihe advance. In the northern combat area, Allied aircraft struck at enemy positions with excellent results. West of the Irrawaddy, enemy positions were attacked with bombs, cannon and rockets. Two road bridges were destroyed and rail bridges and a bypass bridge on the Rangoon-Mandaiay railway were put out of action. On the Meiktila airfield, the runway and dispersal area were damaged. Two Allied aircraft are missing.”