Japanese Garrison At Myitkyina Is Being Driven Out

Northern Advocate, 22 May 1944, Page 3

Japanese Garrison At Myitkyina Is Being Driven Out

(Rec. 1.30 p.m.) LONDON. May 21. The Japanese garrison of Myitkyina is being driven out by America and Chinese forces who are steadily closing in from three sides, states a SouthEast Asia communique. One column of our troops has advanced to the Irrawaddy River four miles south of Myitkyina. The village of Zigyn has been occupied and our patrols have entered Katyo across the river. A further column is advancing north of Myitkyina. In the Magaung Valley, operations continue against the trapped remnants of the garrison at Warone and elements of the Chinese 22nd Division are holding their road-block across the Kamaing Road, south of Malakawg, in face of enemy attacks. There is no major activity elsewhere on the Burma front.

On May 19 air operations were carried out effectively throughout Burma.

A correspondent writing from SouthEast Asia headquarters, says that the Japanese are making another attempt to oust the Chindits from the Heni road block. Large enemy forces were encountered south-west of the block and heavy fighting has continued for 11 hours, the Japanese experiencing severe casualties.

Fight For Rail Station

A railway station in tme north-east part of Myitkyina changed hands five times before the Chinese finally seized it ,cables Reuter's corespondent from Myitkyina airfield. Both sides suffered heavy casualties. The railway station had been converted into a strongly barricaded fort. Chinese forces under a veteran colonel of a Shanghai fighting force, fought grimly all Friday night until they overran it yesterday.

Allied war planes yesterday frustrated a fresh Japanese attempt to sneak out of Myitkyina by crossing the Irawaddy River. Warhawks spotted 12 boats, each carrying 20 Japanese troops preparing to cross. The Warhawks swooped down and sank every boat.

Jap. Colonel Captured

Men from a famous Scots Regiment included in their bag a Japanese regimental colonel who was leading his troops into battle on a white horse. South of the block in the enemyoccupied portion of Mawlu, more of our troops attacked a village and evicted the enemy. Among the troops engaged in these actions were West Africans.

During the recent series of ambushes by small bodies of Chindits on the Bhamo-Myitkyina Road, large numbers of the enemy endeavoured to cut the lines of withdrawal of our men. In the ensuing fighting, two enemy platoons attempted the road and cut off a section of our Gurkhas. The Gurkhas avoided the Japanese pincer movement as it slowly closed from the bottom of a hill. The result was that the Japanese fought each other for an hour while Gurkhas looked on and rocked with laughter. This action took place on a supply-line to Japanese troops reaching Myitkyina. Hand-to-Hand Fighting Delhi radio.- quoting a dispatch from (he Burma front, says that Allied forces have broken into Myitkyina town, where bitter hand-to-hand fighting is going on. The fall of the town is imminent. It is officially announced from Kandy that remnants of the -Japanese 23rd Division are completely cut oft' from receiving supplies, as a result of a landslide on the Tiddim Road, 43 miles south of Imphal, caused by air bombardments. The road was the enemy's only supply route from the south..

Troop carriers, gliding in to Myitkyina airfield at intervals of 15 to 20 minutes, are bringing in reinforcements. Chinese and American forces are besieging Myitkyina, says Reuter’s correspondent at the airfield. Troops, immediately on landing, form up and march direct to the fighting front.

The Fifth Infantry Division was transported by air from Arakan to Imphal in the early stages of fighting in Manipur area, states an official message from Kandy. This is the first time a whole division has been moved by air from one battlefront to another, covering a distance over 200 miles in 36 hours. Not a single aircraft or soldier was lost. It would have taken six weeks to make the journey by land.