PROBLEM FOR JAPANESE

Manawatu Standard, Volume LXIII, Issue 236, 3 September 1943, Page 5

PROBLEM FOR JAPANESE

DAMAGE TO BURMA TRANSPORT (Rec. 11 a.m.) LONDON, Sept. 2. The Japanese, whose entire land forces in Burma do not exceed four divisions, are now faced with serious transport difficulties as the result of the ceaseless attacks from American bombers and British fighters, says the Daily Telegraph's New Delhi correspondent. Vital railway bridges have .been cut and hundreds of locomotives and motor trucks destroyed. Consequently, the enemy is forced to rely largely on slow-moving sampans andthese are falling like ripe corn before the R.A.F. Beaufighters, which since July 1 hare sunk over 1250. The rate of wastage is increasing. Sixty were sunk in one day this week and a number of steamers and motor-craft were also destroyed; but the Japanese do not possess many of these. Moreover, they are such easy targets that the Japanese prefer the sampans, which, are readily concealed under trees on river banks.- Manysampan crews have been killed, which is an even more serious loss than that of the sampans, which require skilled navigators, whose numbers are limited.

Though large concentrations , of sampans have been observed at points on the Irrawaddy, there is no evidence of a considerable movement of enemy troops. The R.A.F. has substantially reduced the enemy's air strength in recent weeks.