British, Chinese Mop Up Beyond Mogaung

Northern Advocate, 29 June 1944, Page 3

British, Chinese Mop Up Beyond Mogaung

(8.0. W., 12.45 p.m.) RUGBY. June 28.

Chinese, British and Chindit troops are monping-up and exploiting beyond Mogaung. The Chinese also took another strong point in Myitkyino.

A South-east Asia communique states: In the Bislronpur area strong enemy forces have made repeated attempts to over-run mortar positions held by a patoon of the sth Gurkha Rifles. The defenders neld on throughout the night of June 25, beating off all attempts to dislodge them. At 5 o’clock next morning the enemy launched an attack, supported by gunfire at point blank range. Fifteen men of the platoon were killed and a few wounded by Japanese who over-ran the position. The posit ion was later counter-attacked and recaptured. Fighting on the Silchar track, numbers of Japanese were killed. North of Imphal heavy artillery concentrations were put down on Japanese bunkers, where the enemy were later seen burying their dead.

A patrol east of Karong inflicted a number of casualties. During vigorous mopping-up operations satisfactory progress southward has been made along the Kohima-Imphal road. Fighting continues in the PalelTamu area, where we captured another hill feature. Chinese and Chindit forces who took the position are mopping-up and consolidating. Large quantities of supplies were taken and more than 400 Japanese dead were found in the town area. Hengyang May Fall The Japanese have surrounded Hongyang, says a Chinese communique. Severe fighting is going on on ail sides of the city. General Stilwell’s headquarters has announced widespread air attacks against the Japanese in Hunan. These have slowed but not halted the enemy’s advance. Severe fighting continues on ihe northeastern outskirts and east of Hengyang, says another Chinese communique. Heavy casualties have been suffered by both sides. Several Japanese columns are preparing for a concerted attack. Nevertheless, Hengyang remains calm, but it is feared that the Japanese will take the city. . Lieutenant-General Liu We; Chang, writing in the army newspaper “Sao Tang Pao,” said that China’s only hope now is an Allied victory.

Other Advances Made

Chinese troops have taken Nairn l, six miles north-east of Mogaung, on the Mo-gaung-Myitkyina railway, and seized oO railway waggons. Other Chinese troops have advanced south from Mogaung to Loilaw. where they captured more waggons. light tanks, field guns, mortars and small arms. Chindits had a strenuous 90 minutes engagement south-east of Mogaung, and inflicted many casualties. A Chinese column moving south from Kayaing. found many enemy dead and much equipment. In Myitkvina, the Chinese took another strongpoint in the southern sector of the town, where the enemy abandoned a large supply of small arms and ammunition. On Monday and Tuesday, fighters and fighter-bombers bombed and strafed positions, columns of troops, camps, motor transport, tanks and fuel dumps in Panel, Tamu, Bishenpur, and Somra. Fomalin and Ukhrul areas. From all these operations one Allied aircraft is missing. South-east Asia headquarters announced that casualties of the 14th Army in India and Burma from January 1 to May 31, were about 6000 killed and missing, and 12,000 wounded. According to a Colombo message. Japanese casualties for the same period, were 21,700 killed, while the number of wounded is conservatively estimated at 20.000. These figures no not include casualties suffered and inflicted by General Stilwell’s Chinese and American forces.