BID FOR RANGOON

New Zealand Herald, Volume 79, Issue 24189, 3 February 1942, Page 5

BID FOR RANGOON

SALWEEN RIVER BARRIER

ENEMY TRYING TO CROSS

FIRM STAND INTENDED

XEecd. 9.25 p.m.) LONDON, Feb. 2 The Japanese are reported to be attempting to bridge the Salween River north of Moulmein to continue their offensive aimed at Rangoon, says a report from the Burma capital. It is indicated in Rangoon that the Salween River line will be held with the utmost determination while Burma's defensive forces are being built up. The plains south and south-east of Moulmein offered the defenders only the smallest assistance against the enemy's powerful thrusts in superior numbers, for which reason the withdrawal from Mi.ulmein was necessary. A communique issued in Rangoon earlier said the situation on the Salween front, appeared to be stabilised, and added: "During the evacuation of Moulmein our Jfcrops were subjected to heavy shelling and persistent bombing, hut the casualties were not high. We undoubtedly inflicted heavy losses. Our artillery, covering the evacuation, did excellent w6rk at point-blank range." Rangoon now ranks with Chungking and London as one of the most bombed cities in the' world, said a high Burmese official in an interview with the New York Times correspondent at Chungking. However, he added, heavy toll had been exacted from the raiders by the auti-aircraft batteries, and British and American fighter planes had forced the Japanese to abandon daylight raids and concentrate on night bombings, which occurred almost nightly. Civilian casualties at Rangoon had totalled 2600, including 1350 deaths, said the official, but the civilians were ijow learning to take cover immediately an alarm was sounded, thus minimising the losses.

JAPANESE AIRMEN

BRITISH BORNEO

JAPANESE BOMB GERMANS

PLANE LOSSES

HELD TWO POSITIONS

NO EXCEPTIONAL SKILL

DUTCH COMMANDANT'S VIEWS (Reed. 11.25 p.m.) BANDOENG. Feb 2 "Japanese airmen have no exceptiona] skill," declares Major-General L. Yanoyen, commandant of the Dutch East Indies Air Corps. "They seem to have one capable man in each formation. The others are much less capable and just follow him. • "From the moment we have equal numbers and our fighters are technically as good as the Japanese machines we shall begin to show far better results. Our fighter pilots say many Japanese fly. badly and are much below ours, while the British and American bomb sights are much superior to the Japanese."

CLAIM BY JAPANESE (B«cd. 5.35 p.m.) NEW YORK, Feb. 1 The Tokio official radio claimed that Japanese forces occupied Sandakan, the capital of British North Borneo, on January 24.

LONDON, Feb. 1 A Batavia message says it is officially stated that the Japanese bombed a ship transferring German internees from the Netherlands East Indies to the British Indies, and caused many casualties. The transfer had been ordered in accordance with the Geneva Treaty forbidding the holding of prisoners in a combat zone.

JAPAN HEADS THE LIST <®«d. 5.5 p.m.) LONDON, Feb. 1 British and enemy aircraft losses January round the coasts and Britain were: —Royal Air Force, •vGerman. 10. Over Europe they were: •-Royal Air Force, 58; German, 6. _hi the Middle Fast the Royal Air %ce lost 62' and the Axis 94. Japanese a 'r losses in the Far East are estimated be 253. The Royal Navy shot down wo German aircraft during the month.

®*d. 10.20 p.m.) NEW YORK. Feb. 1 V H is expected that the Mayor of v 6* York, Mr. La Guardia, will announce his resignation of his post as of civilian defence shortly. He fla? been the target for bitter press 18? Congressional criticism for atto hold down two full-time since the United States' entry the war.