HEAVIEST ATTACK OF WAR

Otago Daily Times, Issue 25386, 18 November 1943, Page 5

HEAVIEST ATTACK OF WAR

RAILWAY YARDS IN BURMA CALCUTTA, Nov. 16. B.A.F. medium and heavy bombers early to-dav carried out the heaviest and most concentrated attack against Burma since the outbreak of the eastern war, says an official announcement.

Reuter’s Calcutta correspondent reports that the raid completely shattered the railway station, marshalling yards, and barracks at Pegu, 46 miles north-east of Rangoon. A large number of planes dropped a heavy tonnage of high explosives and started big fires. Heavy clouds made bombing conditions difficult.

An Indian communique states: “ Substantial casualties were inflicted on the enemy in successive attempts on November 13 and 14 to overcome one of our forward posts in the northern area of the Chin Hills. Further south in the area west and north of Falam our levies are effectively harassing enemy patrols and probing into the hills.

“R.A.F. bombers last night raided the railway junction at Pegu. Bombs burst on the railway yards, and large fires were started in the station and adjacent warehouses. Fighters,, yesterday attacked oilfields and installations at Nyaunghla, on the Irrawaddy, and in sweeps over the river shot up 26 river "craft. Another eight craft were damaged in sweet>s on Sunday night .against river communications in the Akyab area. We lost no aircraft.”