BURMA CAMPAIGN

Grey River Argus, 20 May 1944, Page 5

BURMA CAMPAIGN

ALLIED SUCCESS Important Airfield TAKEN /BY (ALLIES IN THE .nqrth. r Aus & N.Z. Press. Assn.l L LONDON, May, 18. After a 20-day secret march an Allied force of Chinese and Americans on Wednesday, captured the main Japanese airfield at Myitkyina, which ifias for two years been the focal point, • : of the enemy’s communications m northern Burma. The town of Myitkyina is already under, mortar fire from the airfield, and its fall is expected shortly. The airfield was found in good order and is already in use. Soon after its capture American engineers landed in gliders. An official Allied spokesman at Kan'y said : The airfield is an all weather strip, but its capture is only half the battle because we need Mogaung to consolidate our position. Mogaung is probably the Allies’ next objective, because General Stilwell s forces and those of Lentaigne, Wingate’s successor, are in the vicinity. Their movements will probably be co-ordinated from north and s °ut“. Myitkyina is not a stopping plate. We have reached an excellent advanced position, from which further operations can be launched south through Burma because there is likely to be a big change in the military situation in the north. There will be less slackening of fightin" during this monsoon than last year. The Japanese were suppnsed and the airfield was taken with little opposition. These troops were under the command of Brigadier-General Frank Merrill, General Stilwell’s field commander. Chinese occupation troops arriving by transport planes. The capture was carried out by three columns. It is one hundred miles from the old Burma Road. Eighty miles to the east, .the Chinese forces which have crossed the Salween are making good progress in their complementary drive to clear a line for Allied communications from India across northern Burma to China. A Chinese communique stated: Chinese captured several positions west of the Salween River. Operations in the Pingka area, 24 miles south-east of Lungling, 'were successfully completed with the capture of Malutaing, Santiun, Chinmulin, and 10 villages near Fingka. Chinese guerrillas occupied Phinmaw Pass. The Chinese occupation J of Criaotou, on the Shweli River, was completely successful . Tile Japanese suffered 400 casualties. Fighting continues for the possession of Manien Pass. We captured Manien Kwan. The Japanese continue stubborn resistance at Tatangtzu. Severe casualties were suffered by both sides.

General Stilwell in a communique states: Our planes bombed and strafed enemy units near lyang, destroying over 200 trucks, armoured cars, and tanks, killing a column of cavalry and infantry, nearly three kilometres long.

CHINESE PROGRESS. (Rec 5.5.) NEW YORK, May 19. ' The “New York Times’s” Chungking correspondent says: After preparatory bombing, shelling and strafing from the air, Chinese troops entered Tatangzu early on Wednesday night. They drove enemy battalions into the mountains. Later in the day, however, the Japanese counter-at-tacked, and fightmg at present is still going on inside of the town. It is the site of a Japanese headquarters, and is the last major obstacle in a Chinese drive to cross the mountains to Tengchung. The Chinese, who opparently are attempting to reach Tengchung by a three-pronged movement, spl-.’ their forces in the Chiaotou area after capturing that town, one force driving westwards towards Burma, and the other southwards along the Kaolikung Mountain Range. A third force, progressing south from the Burma Road, completed occupation of the Salween River bend.