ALLIED PROGRESS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 25566, 20 June 1944, Page 5

ALLIED PROGRESS

CAMPAIGN IN.. BURMA FORCES ONE MILE FROM MOGAUNG RUGBY, June 18. Chinese troops have taken Gurkhaywa, one mile north of Mogaung, states a South-east Asia communique. Mopping up continues at Kamaing. American troops are advancing towards Myitkyina from the north, and Chinese patrols west of the town wiped out enemy strongpoints. South of Myitkyina the Chinese force has cut the Waingmaw ferry in three places. Despite monsoon conditions, which, together with the enemy’s demolitions, impede pursuit, the steady advance of our troops on the Kohima front has forced the enemy from his rearguard positions. Enemy elements are contained at Phasemai, on the Imphal road, and our troops have reached the track leading from Tuphema to Kharisom. Air support has caused great disorder in the Japanese concentrations and movements.

In the Imphal sector there is heavy rain, but there are numerous clashes and ambushes, in which the enemy suffered disproportionately heavy casualties. . The monsoon conditions are now general, but though air operations have been of necessity restricted to some extent, there has been no slackening in the land effort.

Allied gains north and south along the Kohima-Imphal road have left only about 48 miles of it in Japanese hands, according to the South-east Asia Command. Meanwhile, our advance to the track from Taphema to Adkarasom to the east indicates a threat to the road running south to Adukhrol, which is the key of the whole Japanese system in the area.

On the Manipur front, in a week of hard fighting, there h.as been no major change. The enemy has continued his withdrawal under pressure south and east of Kohima, on the road to Imphal. On the Imphal-Ukhrul road there has been heavy fighting. In the Bishenpur area there has been further fighting in the village of Ningthoukhonga. On June 12, after the enemy, aided by tanks, had achieved local penetration of our perimeter, a counter-attack fully restored the position, and five Japanese tanks were destroyed. The Arakan front has been quiet, with some patrolling. Our troops moved southwards from Mowdok and took up new positions in the Sangu Valley.' Over the whole Burma front the air ferrying of men and supplies has been maintained, and there was no enemy interference.