ACTION IN BURMA

Pahiatua Herald, Volume XLXII, Issue 15239, 4 January 1943, Page 3

ACTION IN BURMA

BOM BINGS CONTIN UED. (British Official Wireless). RUGBY, January 2. A joint Indian war communique states: “On Friday afternoon, a formation of R.A.F. Blenheims bombed the Japanese-occupied village of Kalemyo in the Myittlia Valley. Bursts were seen well in the centre of the target area and fires were left burning. Elsewhere in Burma our fighters attacked enemy river craft with cannonfire and Hudsons bombed and machine-gun-ned shipping off the Arakan coast From these and other operations, one of our aircraft is missing.” December was the first month in which the R.A.F. operating from Indian bases averaged at least one attack ragainst the Japanese in Burma in every 24 hours. Last month R.A.F. planes were out on 20 days and 10 nights during the course of which 41 different offensive operations were carried out. Since the middle of December the succession of daily R.A.F. attacks has been unbroken. The chief ob jectives were aerodromes, particularly the enemy’s large forward base at Magwe. A communique from R.A.F. Headquarters in New Delhi, states:— “Hurricanes on Saturday attacked the Magwe airfield from a low level with cannons and machine-guns, setting fire to grounded planes. Blenheims bombed two satellite airfields at Akyab. while other fighters probably sank two small steamers with cannon fire. Bombers south of Akvab damaged coastal craft.* None of our planes are missing.”