Japs. Lining-Up Big Fight Before Mandalay

Northern Advocate, 6 March 1945, Page 3

Japs. Lining-Up Big Fight Before Mandalay

(Rec. 1.15 p.m.) CALCUTTA, This Day. Reports from various sectors again suggest that the Japanese intend to line-up a big' battle before Mandalay, says the Australian Associated Press correspondent. The Japanese are nightly shelling the 2nd Division’s positions. The division is now linked up with the 20h Indian Division fanning out from its Myinmu bridgehead. Mansam was captured by the Chinese. It is an important road hub, 30 miles west of Lashio and seven miles north of Hsipaw. Only light resistance was met on this front. The Japanese appear to be withdrawing leaving only delaying parties to hold up the Chinese.

The Chinese advancing eastwards from Mansam to Lashio, reached a point about 20 miles from the latter. Meanwhile, the Burma Road has been cleared of the Japanese to within eight miles of Lashio.

The Chinese are continuing to advance southwards of the Nam Yao River, just north of Lashio. They are reported to be making good progres.

Lightning Advance The main Japanese communications 75 air miles south of Mandalay, have been cut by a British armoured force, whose lightning advande ieast.war.ds from the Irrawaddy bridgehead has just been disclosed. Meiktila has been taken, with its airfields, on which airborne troops have now been landed.

A special South-east Asia communique states that armoured and mechanised forces from a bridgehead opposite Pakokku, north of the oilfield area, swept: 85 miles eastwards from the Irrawaddy and captured Meiktila, and a group of eight airfields. The Japanese suffered heavy casualties, and a considerable quantity of aircraft., guns and other weapons and stores, fell into our hands. Closely following this success, airborne forces of the 14th Army landed in the Meiktila area. At Meiktila itself, the Japanese made a suicidal defence for several days, but after heavy air strikes and artillery bombardment, the defenders were wiped out and the town cleared. A further large quantity of stores and equipment, including more than 40 guns, was captured. Heavy fighting continues. A correspondent reports that British, Indian and Gurkha forces took Meiktila. Within a few hours of capture of the first airfield, troops were flown in. Completely Mechanised The ground forces were completely mechanised, and supported by heavy ranks, the first time such forces have been used in South-east Asia. When a bridgehead was established in the Pagan area and before the drive eastwards began, thousands of vehicles of every description, including heavy tanks, were ferried across a mile wide river on power-driven rafts. The thrust probably caught the enemy napping, for it was directed at the heart of what they must hive thought a compavativs'y safe area. Equipment, stores and ammunition <>£ every kind was found abandoned. Opposition was slight at first, for nothing could stand up to the weight of this armoured drive.

Meiktila was captured against moderate -opposition. The Japanese garrison, consisting of some four battalions, fought well, but suffered losses estimated up to 2000. Some of the garrison tried to break out along the Mandalay Road, but ran into a road block and 200 were killed. British patrols pushed on beyond Meiktila, towards Thazi, on the main railway, 15 miles further east.