BURMA THEATRE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 25797, 19 March 1945, Page 5

BURMA THEATRE

MOPPING-UP OPERATIONS FORT DUFFERIN ENCIRCLED (Rec. 8.30 p.m.) LONDON, Mar. 17. In the Mandalay sector our troops are clearing the area south-east and south-west of Fort Dufferin, says a South-east Asia communique. Other troops who advanced from their bridgehead southward of the Irrawaddy River penetrated into Ava Fort after a stiff fight. The main road due southward of Mandalay has also been cut. In the Meiktila area the Japanese reacted strongly from the north in a counter-attack during darkness. They achieved some infiltration into our positions, but our armoured columns completely restored the situation, the tanks inflicting further Heavy casualties on the enemy.

On the Fifteenth Indian Corps front our troops made progress on the Tamanduan line. Our'aircraft were very active, and strongly supported the assault on Fort Dufferin. A military observer in Burma says the troops of the British 36th Division who captured Mongmit, 15 miles southeast of their bridgehead over the Shweli River at Myitson, are pushing southwards. Indian infantry advancing down the first metalled road the division has seen for months, contacted retreating Japanese who were engaged with artillery. The encirclement of Fort Duifenn in Mandalay is now complete, says an agency message from the city, following the capture on Friday night of the crossroads, on the route leading south from the fort, and to-day’s demolition of a strongpoint on the eastern side.