BIGGEST MASSACRE OF BURMA WAR

Timaru Herald, Volume CLVIII, Issue 23262, 25 July 1945, Page 5

BIGGEST MASSACRE OF BURMA WAR

Trapped Japanese Allied Losses Light By Telegraph—N.Z Press Assn.—Copyrlgn: (7.30 p.m.) LONDON, July 23. One-fifth of the total I Japanese force trying to I break out of the Pegu Yomas foothills across the Alliedheld road between Nyaunglegin and Toungoo towards the Sittang River and Siam were killed in the first 36 hours of the trapped Japanese 28th Army’s bolt for life. They number about 750 men, says a Pegu correspondent. This is not only the quickest, biggest single massacre of ‘he Burma war. he says, but aiso the least costly to the Allies, British and Gurkha and other troops operating with Scottish tanks and Indian armoured cars with negligible casualties. A British staff officer said to-day that very heavy enemy casualties were expected, as conditions were ideal for shooting up rearguards. There were signs that the Japanese were be' rung tired and exhausted. The first escape wave consisting of about 5000 men was cut up and broken into straggling bits long before they reached the west bank of the Sittang River. British and Indian troops have had everything in the right place—planes, guns, armoured fighting vehicles and infantry could not have been better placed, if they had know exactly where and when the Japanese were coming. _ The Japanese are prepared to lose more than 40 per cent of their strength in the escape attempt. Spitfires and Thunderbolts flew 71 so ;-es Yesterday, apart from strikes by two Spitfire squadrons operating from the north. Greatest Massacre The anticipation that the attempt by the Japanese to escape to Siam from Pegu Yomas would provide the greatest single massacre of this theatre of the war has been justified, writes a correspondent at Rangoon. The latest count of dead Japanese since the attempt to break through began 36 hours ago shows 1843, with : 93 taken prisoners. The killed are casualties by our small arms fire and do not include those killed from the air or by artillery fire. The fighting, which continues east and west of the Mandalay-Rangoon road, is target practice for our troops. There is evidence that the enemy, who hoped to break through in a matter of hours, is tiring. A fair number of Japanese are reported to have crossed the Rangoon-Mandalay road south of Toungoo. Villages inland on either side of the road are a constant target for the Royal Air Force. The Japanese are seen running in and out of the villages. Bombing and strafing are going on. East of the corridor our forces are trapping parties of Japanese as they sneak toward the Sittang River.