MANDALAY BATTLE

Grey River Argus, 20 March 1945, Page 5

MANDALAY BATTLE

(Rec. 1.7) BOMBAY, March 19 Monday’s Allied South-east Aria Command communique stated: The Japanese opposition has been maintained in the southern part of Mandalay and in Fort Dufferin. Our troops, who gained a firm hold on the southern road and rail exits from Mandalay north of Kyauske, have operated successfully against Japanese forces attempting to escape with their heavy equipment. In the Keiktila area our armoured columns, carying out wide sweeps, killed two hundred of the enemy, and captured equipment. . , . . Satisfactory progress is being made towards the oilfields area adjoining the Irrawaddy. In Northern Burma fighting continued on Sunday northwest, north and north-east of Hsipaw, where Chinese troops are opposed, by determined enemy groups. Otner Chinese troops have encountered opposition 16 miles from Lashid, on the Lashio-Hsipaw road. South and south-west of the road progress was made towards Mongyai. BOW. RUGBY, March 18. Troops of the Thirty-third. Indian Corps have reached the partially demolished Ava bridge across the Irrawaddy, ten miles south-west of Mandalay, reports a South-east Asia communique. On the north bank of the Irrawaddy other troops entered Sagaing, southwest of Mandalay. South of Byitnge and north of Myauskes our troops strengthened their hold on the road and rail communications, due south of Mandalay.. Troops of the British Thirty-,sixtn Division engaged in sharp fighting with the Japanese holding strongly entrenched positions north-east of Mogok. On the Fifteen! h Indian Corps front there is no major change to report. . Heavy bombers of the Eastern Air Command in strength attacked dumps in the Rangoon area m a coordinated attack with India-basea Super-Fortresses on Saturday.

BRUNNER MAN TAKES PART. BURMA FRONT, March 17. Scores of heavy bombers of the Eastern Air Command on Saturday attacked the greatest supply base of the Japanese in Burma, located in the northern of Rangoon. Carrying a maximum load of high explosives and incendiaries, they dived through’ flak to the most heavily, defended area on this front, to obliterate cleverly camouflaged supply dumps. Since the cutting of the Burma-Siam railway, the Japanese have been drawing heavily on carefully hoarded supplies. -Saturday s raid deprived those Japanese who are desperately defending Mandalay, of urgently-needed supplies. Making his first operational tout as Captain of a Liberator, Warra'nt-Offi-cer Desmond R. Lee, of Brunnerton, West Coast, said: "It-was a successful, blit an unexciting, trip. Fires from our bombs were just starting when we turned away.” The captain of annther bomber, Warrant-Officer Desmond Awleby, 'Timar.u, said: '“We bombed from 15,000 feet. Enemy flak unT moderate, and the target difficult to find owing to clouds, but our went right down into the cenUe of R ’’ WaTrant-Offlcer.G G. McKnv of'Wyndham, was. wireless opKay, or / ther formation. His aivcraft'was holed, by flak, but none of the crew were injured.