BURMA CAMPAIGN

Otago Daily Times, Issue 25552, 3 June 1944, Page 7

BURMA CAMPAIGN

BATTLE FOR MYITKYINA THIRD OF TOWN TAKEN RUGBY, June 1. An up-to-date appraisement of the Burma campaign shows that General Stilwell’s forces have now captured one-third of Myitkyina, including the railway station and airfield. Japanese troops from Mogaung attempted coun-ter-attacks at Myitkyina, but these were repelled. The Allies now hold the road between Myitkyina and Mogaung. The Allies have also captured several villages in the vicnity of Myitkyina and have blocked the escape roads of the Japanese. The monsoon has now begun, and the Japanese are hampered by heavy rain and deep mud. Chinese forces are also exerting pressure along the Mogaung Valley to Kamaing. Majorgeneral Lentaigne’s air-borne forces are still harrying the Japanese south of Mogaung, inflicting heavy casualties. In Manipur State the Japanese continue to make full use of one of their all-weather roads from the Chindwin River to the Imphal Plain, and are launching successive attacks along this road with the object of breaking into the Imphal area. All the attacks have been beaten off. The Japanese are strongly dug in between Kohima and our strongly fortified post 14 miles north-east of Imphal. Rain has hampered their attacks in this area. Our great air superiority is having a marked effect on Japanese morale. Strenuous Fighting

The most strenuous fighting of the campaign still continues around Imphal, but this, with the operations in the Manipur and Arakan areas, is having the effect of drawing off the Japanese from General Stilwell’s forces. The outstanding feature of the entire Burma campaign is perhaps the complete integration of action between British, American, Indian, and African troops. Chinese and American forces have taken Malakawng, four miles south of Inkagahtawng, 'a strongpoint on the main road in the Mogaung Valley, which has been for some time the centre of Japanese resistance, states a South-east Asia communique. Another Chinese and American column advancing east of the Mogaung River has established a line south of Warong and Sharaw. Our troops are continuing to make satisfactory progress in their assault. on Myitkyina from the north, south, and west. North of Myitkyina our levies ambushed a party of Japanese moving westwards.

North and north-east of the Imphal Plain our operations to clear the enemy from the area east of Kanglatongbi have made good progress. In the Bishenpore area, north of the Silchar track, Gurkhas, with tank support, cap ■ tured a village. . Further south, where Japanese troops are between our advancing forces, we repulsed a counterattack with considerable loss to the enemy. There was no major activity in the Kohima sector, where the enemy is digging in and preparing defensive positions. . Chinese Exert Pressure

Malekwang village, which the Chinese forces captured in the Mogaung Valley, is 17 miles north of Kamaing, and the Chinese advanced nearly two miles astride the Mogaung Valley road before the advance was halted, says the British United Press correspondent at Northern Burma headquarters. The Japanese garrison had held out for three weeks. The Chinese are now attacking Mataingaakau. 13 miles north of Kamaing. Other Chinese columns are exerting pressure against Kamaing from the north-east and from the south, and a strong force of Chinese six miles south of Kamaing cut the Japanese main road and river communications to Mogaung. The Japanese Myitkyina garrison continues stubbornly to resist, but the general opinion is that the whole town will soon be in Allied hands.