BURMESE FRONTIER

Otago Daily Times, Issue 25068, 9 November 1942, Page 3

BURMESE FRONTIER

INCREASED PATROL ACTIVITY STRENGTH OF JAPANESE FORCES (Rec. 10 p.m.) LONDON, Nov. 7. .. British and Japanese patrol activity “is increasing within the vast mountain jungle “no man’s land ” on the frontier of North-west Burma, says the Delhi correspondent of The Times. These operations are probably no more than the natural inclination of both sides to feel their feet after months of foul weather. The military authorities at Delhi are confident of the strength of the eastern defences and are inclined to withhold comment until the enemy’s intentions are clarified, the correspondent adds. There have been minor clashes, but actual contact is rare. British patrols often consist of guerrillas recruited from the hill tribes. The Japanese are largely employing bands of so-called independent Burmans. One purpose of the Japanese patrols is to terrorise residents suspected of British sympathies. There is no evidence that Japanese reinforcements have reached Burma, where most of the troops can hardly be described as first class. According to a British Official Wireless message, though it is not yet possible to give the full details of the recent patrol activity, a correspondent on the Burma frontier states that the Japanese began to display signs of sending out feelers on October 23 towards the Allied patrol positions. Clashes occurred, resulting in Japanese losses. The correspondent states that the activity on both sides is most fluid, and there is no front line of any kind. Only one Allied soldier is missing. There have been no other casualties, “It is clear that General Waved's move against Burma will come,” he states, “No one can say when, but all the commanders are striving to bring their men to concert pitch fqr fighting in the most difficult terrain imaginable.”