AT GRIPS WITH FOE

Manawatu Standard, Volume LXII, Issue 98, 25 March 1942, Page 5

AT GRIPS WITH FOE

CHINESE IN BURMA BATTLE SEE-SAWS. ) (United Press Association—Copyright.; (11 a.m.) RUGBY, March 24. i A communique regarding the s operations of the Chinese Army l in Burma, received from New - Delhi, states that serious fight- . ing is still going on seven miles i south of Toungoo, which lies almost midway between Rangoon and Mandalay. This follows yesterday's see-saw battle, when the Japanese 121st and ■ 143rd Regiments attacked both flanks ■ of the Chinese outpost line. Although the original Japanese attack was repulsed the enemy was rei inforccd and managed to drive the , Chinese back from their positions. A [ Chinese counter-attack, however, drove , the Japanese back and the Chinese are still maintaining their original . outpost line to-day. The casualties were heavy on both! sides. The Chinese destroyed two enemy tanks, two scout cars, and seven lorries. HA ND-TO-HAND FIGHTING. The Chinese forces were without air jsupport. Since March 19 there have j boon ten hand-to-hand encounters between the Chinese and Japanese forces, with the bayonet used. The enemy is using both Thai and Burmese troops on the Toungoo front. There was also a heavy Japanese artillery bombardment of Chinese outposts yesterday, with a few casualties. The Chinese forces have the situation well in hand. A diary captured on March 20 from the dead body of Lieut. Kyce Pso Yit Lung, of the Japanese 121st I’eginient, part of the 55th Division, refers to i the difficulty of supply and the low | morale of the Japanese troops. The i actual replenishment of supplies was I made only twice between February 15 and March 19, so provisions had to be purchased on other occasions. Japanese claims of the capture of Toungoo are denied. There were six air raids on Toungoo yesterday—three on the empty airport and three on Chinese troops.—Official , Wireless. A Press Association cable from London says: The Chinese expeditionary force in Burma is still in action against , the Japanese in the Pyu area, where they intercepted an enemy column, attacking it on the flanks after it had ; been allowed to advance through the Chinese lines. The Japanese lost 200 ( killed and are held up on the Pyu River, where the fighting is continuing. With the Japanese getting reinforcements they aci renewing the offensive and trying to prevent the Chinese from ' crossing the river. In recent fighting : Pyu changed hands three times as the ’ youthful Chinese veterans fought their old enemies. J The Irrawaddy sector is still quiet, ! though three small enemy groups arc 1 reported to be moving forward across . the Yomas (the mountainous regions • between the main valleys) from the east. )

A London report'says that the American Volunteer Group raided two encmy-occupied aerodromes —one at Chcngmai, the terminus of the railway running northward from Bangkok, and the other at Lampan, 10 miles south-east of Chengmai. HEAVY FIGHTING IN CHINA. A Chungking communique reports that on the .fvwangtung lront heavy lighting is in progress near Chlliigshan, following a new Japanese landing. Chinese forces, taking the offensive west of Canton, have occupied the capital ot Kwangtung and attacked Japanese positions at Samshu, where they inflicted 200 casualties on the enemy.

A M'ew York” cable says Dr. John Baker, United States inspector of the Burma Boad, who arrived in New York aboard a navy transport from Singapore, declared that China now has enough supplies stored away in the mountains to last at least 30 or 40 months. He said the storage region was about 150 miles from Rangoon. The supplies include 9000 tons of petrol, 0000 tons of ammunition and 200.000 tons of general supplies and materials. He declared that the substitute for the Burma Road was still incomplete because the work was being done by hand, but portions of the road were now open. A shortage of-drivers and mechanics was slowing down progress on the road.

A Chungking message states that supplies of all kinds arc now moving over the tortuous overland route be-

tween Sinkiang province and the Soviet Union which is at present China's main highway connection with the outside world. 'The road formerly carried only minor freight, but has assumed major importance since the Japanese cut the Burma Road.