BURMA FRONT

Grey River Argus, 11 May 1944, Page 5

BURMA FRONT

ENEMY DEFEAT

Prediction of Indian Official

LAus. & N.Z. Press Assn.l LONDON, May 9. An Allied communique stated: Following unsuccessful enemy counterattacks our operations to clear the enemy from the vicinity of Kohima continued during May 8. From May 4 to 6, 750 Japanese dead were counted, and further heavy casualties have been inflicted, since. In all sectors around the Imphal Plain we have obtained local successes. East of Kanglatongbi, several important hill positions have been occupied. In an engagement when a patrol of tne 14th. Punjab Regiment surprised a Japanese artillery detachment near Bishenpur, four enemy guns were captured and 35 Japanese killed. Two miles south of Bishenpur, following heavy and accurate bombing by Allied aircraft, our infantry supported by tanks, drove the enemy from the village. Both north-east and south of Palel, advances were made in the hills and villages captured. On the Palel Road, despite the failure of the previous day,, the Japanese made further unsuccessful attacks , and again suffered heavy losses including the destruction of two medium tanks by tank busters of the R.A.F.

In Arakan, south of Maungdaw, our artillery dispersed a Japanese party forming up for attack. In the Fort Hertz Valley, the Japanese are attacking north-west of Nsopzup on the Mali River. East of Mogaung Valley, patrols are active south-west of Inkangahtawng. Chinese troops in this area made a small advance.

In daylight on May 8, long-range U.S.A.A.F. fighters struck the Kanguang airfield, destroying three out of six enemv fighters in the air, and destroying one twin-engined bomber and damaging two fighters on tne ground. R.A.F. medium and U.S. A.A.F. medium and heavy bombers, escorted by fighters, in daylight on May 8 made concentrated attacks on an enemy village in the Moirang area 25 miles south-south-west of Imphal, causing fire and explosions. Other air operations were carried out against the Japanese. Two Allied aircraft are missing.

A Reuter correspondent stated: Airborne Chindits are tightening their stranglehold on the Japanese lines of communication in the IndawMyitkyina Bhamo triangle in North Burma, preparing -the way for General Stilwell’s thrust on Myitkyina. Japanese are showing sjigns of lacking the offensive spirit, while drunkenness is reported among the rank and file. The officers are powerless to control the men, whose uniforms are tattered and shabby. Chindits blew up the main railway line to Mandalay in several places in the vicinitv of Indaw. They a i so destroyed 5,000 gallons of petrol and carried out major demolitions on the Bhamo-Myitkyina Road. It is considered that the Japanese will be unable to make the road serviceable before the monsoons. (Rec. 9.45) LONDON, May 10. Sir Sultan Ahmed, information member of the Viceroy’s Executive Council, at a press conference at New Delhi, after a visit to the Imphal and Arakan fronts, said: “The Japanese are trapped. They must either withdraw or be annihilated. I have the fullest confidence that the Japanese will be completely defeated. There is no danger of the invasion of India. Our position on the eastern front was never stronger. A steady stream of supplies is reaching our troops. The confidence of the Britisli and Indian troops and also our Allies is overwhelming. The supply of weapons, armoured strength, and air superiority impressed him. Sir Sultan Ahmed said that Indian soldiers, man for man, were superior to Japanese. The “Daily Mail’s” Ceylon correspondent says: Every report from the Assam front points to a crushing defeat in the battle for Kohima. Battered enemy units, who are outgunned and outmanoeuvred, are facing annihilation bv massed Allied ■forces. Tokio’s dream of seizing Indian bases before the monsoon breaks has been shattered. Already more than half of the Japanese troops have been destroyed. Planes, artillery and infantry are concentrated against them, and our tanks are rolling straight over their positions, and are smashing or blowing them up. Their casualties have been out of ah proportion to the weight of their attack, and they continue mounting. They have no tanks, and have little hope of getting armour to their, surrounded troops. There are also "signs that their food and arms supplies are running short.