NOW ON INDIAN FRONTIER

Southland Times, Issue 24757, 30 May 1942, Page 5

NOW ON INDIAN FRONTIER

IMPERIAL TROOPS FROM BURMA FOUR-FIFTHS RETURN (Rec. 9 p.m.) NEW DELHI, May 28.. “General Alexander’s troops in Burma have now reached the Indian frontier. Responsibility for holding back any Japanese attempt to invade India now lies with India’s Eastern Army,” said General Sir Archibald Wavell, Commander-in-Chief, India, at a Press conference after his return from a visit to the Burma frontier. “Although I cannot give the exact figures of men withdrawn I can say that four-fifths of the Indian and British troops who went to Burma have come back,” he added. General Wavell revealed that Lieu-tenant-General Sir Harold Alexander’s forces in Burma never exceeded two very weak divisions, about the equivalent of one strong division. By its stubborn fighting General Alexander’s force had slowed down the Japanese advance over a distance of 600 miles and had prevented an immediate assault on an India then relatively unready.

The army, he said, had not been beaten out of Burma. It could have fought on had it been possible to reinforce it. The tanks used in Burma, most of them by then worn out, had had to be abandoned because they could not be got across the Chindwin ■river. DEFENCE OF INDIA Referring to the defence of India General Wavell said that it was undoubtedly gaining strength. “This does not mean that we are either complacent or satisfied,” he said. There still exists a threat against India but we are looking forward to the day which will give us an opportunity to launch a counter-offensive and to drive back the Japanese where they came from.” . , , General Alexander in a special order of the day said: “My command of the forces in Burma has ended with the withdrawal of the army from Burma. Our task was carried out with little or no air support. The struggle has been hard and critical. Your task was to delay the Japanese so that the defence of India could be reinforced and or-

ganized. This you have most successfully and most gallantly accomplished despite your difficulties. I thank you for the great work you have done and for the fortitude with which you have borne your losses.” ATTACK ON INDIA It is now 18 days since there was contact between the British and Japanese forces in Northern Burma. The Japanese are evidently making their biggest immediate effort against China, but British military quarters do not exclude the possibility of an early attack against India. Barge traffic on the Chindwin indicates that the Japanese are probably moving troops towards - the Burma-Assam border.. Reports that Japanese patrols have already crossed the Indian frontier appear to be unfounded. Monsoon rains in Assam and Burma have converted the roads into quagmires and have flooded a great area. A formation of Chinese troops have crossed the frontier into India from Burma. They are presumably part of Lieutenant General Stilwell’s army, A spokesman at Chungking disclosed that after the Japanese break through in Burma Lieutenant General Stilwell stayed on for a considerable time to organize Chinese guerrillas. He could not escape by plane because a treacherous Buddhist informed the Japanese. So he started his famous trek across the mountains and jungles to India.