BURMA BATTLE

Grey River Argus, 23 March 1945, Page 5

BURMA BATTLE

Below Mandalay (Rec. 11.40.) BOMBAY, March 22. The South-east Asia Command, in a communique, stated: Between Mandalay and Myitnge River, to the south pockets of Japanese resistance are being mopped up. At Myingyan sharp fighting continues. Our troops are firmly estalished in the southern part of the town. In Northern Burma, Chinese troops are now twenty-five miles south-west of La—shio on the Lashio-Haipaw road. Three enemy aircraft were destroyed and barracks and revetments were strafed, during fighter sweeps over Tavoy and Moulmein. A correspondent stated: The stage is set for a battle between Mandalay and Meiktila, where the Fourth Corps is astride Japanese escape highways tol the south. . Armoured columns of the Thirtythird Corps are thrusting into the heart of this large pocket containing many thousand Japanese, the enemv is bein' 7 hammered and threatened from several points. An armoured column operating from Meiktila, in three days, killed more than 3 °Wes? a African troops captured Letmauk GG miles south-east of Akyab,

in the face of opposition. Since November 11, the , Fourth Corps of the Fourteenth Army killed 6,000 Jananese and 4,000 since the capture ’of Meiktila. The Japanese are still spasmodically, shelling the main airfield at Meiktila. Mandalay, which has been recaptured, is a dismal sight. Those who remain have reverted to a primitive order of society, with less cohesion than a gipsy encampment. The largest social unit is the family. There are no trams, electric light, municipal services or police force. The central part of the city where the churches, official buildings and commerce houses stood is a deserted ruin, partly as a result of Japanese burning in 1942 and partly through our bombing later. Groves of trees which formerly gave shade to the residents are polluted by Japanese smells and rubbish, the river is littered with sunken boats, and beyond one or two primitive Chinese tea shops there is not a sign of business left. Civil affairs officers trying to establish order and recruit police are working with insufficient staff and on a shoe-string basis. For example,. incoming police are armed with shotguns while Dacoits .use. plk laged rifles.