MANDALAY BATTLE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 25798, 20 March 1945, Page 5

MANDALAY BATTLE

OPPOSITION MAINTAINED * FIRM HOLD ON SOUTHERN EXITS (Rec. 0.30 p.m.) BOMBAY, Mar. 19. “ Japanese opposition has been maintained in the southern part of Mandalay and Fort Dunerffin ” states a boutneast Asia Command communique. “ Our troops who gained a firm hold on the southern road and rail exits from Mandalay north of Kyaukse have operated successfully against the Japanese attempting to escape with their heavy equipment. In the Meiktila area "our armoured columns carrying out wide sweeps killed 200 more of the enemy and captured more equipment. Satisfactory progress is being made towards the oilfields area adjoining the Irrawaddy. “In Northern Burma fighting continued yesterday north-west, north and north-east of Hsipaw, where Chinese troops are opposed by determined enemy groups. Other Chinese troops encountered opposition 16 miles from Lashid, on the Lashio-Hsipaw road. South and south-west of the road progress was made towards Mongyai.” The Chinese yesterday captured Hsipaw. an important Lashio Road communications centre, 120 miles east of Mandalay, says a Chinese communique. The Japanese had used the road south of Hsipaw for supplies and reinforcements.

The Seventeenth Army last night rescued from the danger of Japanese shell fire 162 Roman Catholic nuns, priests, and orphans from North Burma, who had been congregated in Mandalay during the enemy occupation. The liberated party, who had been living in a leper asylum, included 95 nuns and 30 priests, of whom two were New Zealanders. The New Zealanders were Father Lawrence Hickey, aged 50, of 2 Commerce street, Frankton, Auckland, and Father Thomas Rilstone, of Nelson, When the shell fire began striking the asylum an SOS was sent out, and American field service drivers in an ambulance, two bren carriers, and six trucks went out and removed the party to a village north of Mandalay.