IRRAWADDY FRONT

Manawatu Standard, Volume LXII, Issue 119, 20 April 1942, Page 5

IRRAWADDY FRONT

HEAVY ENEMY AIR RAIDS

(Rec. 12 noon) RUGBY. April 10. A Burma communique states that on the Irrawaddy front fierce fighting is continuing in the area of tho Pinchaung River. Burmese troops fought with particular gallantry, Chinese forces are now operating with our troops on the Irrawaddy front. Enemy air attacks were heavy over the area yesterday.

Magwo was attacked by R.A.F bombers.

A Chinese Expeditionary Force report states that Chinese guerrillas raided Tongv, five miles south-west of Swa on Wednesday, killing 200 Japanese. The Chinese losses were four killed. There is nothing to report from the southern front.—Official Wireless. A Press Association cable from Chungking says it is officially announced that the Chinese have withdrawn from Ela, 50 miles northwards of Toungoo. A Chinese communique says the Chinese forces are engaging the enemy in the vicinity of Ela, while the situation is unchanged on the Salween front, where the Chinese have halted the Japanese drive to Loikaw. A Burma communique, issued yesterday, reported a successful action by British tanks on the Irrawaddy front. Enemv units had set up a road block north" of the Yenangyaung oilfields (the destruction of which was announced on the previous day) but the tanks cleared the blocks rind held the road open, allowing the thorough completion of the destruction. It is authoritatively stated that the British forces are definitely not withdrawing from Burma. The Chinese High Command announced that manv Japanese were left ' dead on the battlefield on April 14 when the Chinese halted one enemy thrust in Burma 16 miles south of Loikaw. \ second enemv column pressing on towards Loikaw from Toungoo, is stilt being held in the Yado sector, about -10 miles south-west of Loikaw. Severe fighting raged throughout April lo m the Ya'ni sector on the Sittang River. The Chinese troops, fighting most desperately and gallantly, inflicted more than 1000 casualties. A communique Irom 1 nited States Air Force headquarters at New Delhi states that a squadron ol heavy bombers raided Rangoon on Thursday night, the docks and harbour installations being heavilv bombed. No damage or casualties were sustained by the raiders, though intense anti-aircralt lire was encountered.