BATTLES IN BURMA

Wairarapa Times-Age, 22 May 1944, Page 3

BATTLES IN BURMA

THIRD OF MYITKYINA TAKEN BY ALLIES SUCCESSFUL ACTIONS FOUGHT BY CHINDITS. ASTRIDE ENEMY SUPPLY ROUTE. LONDON, May 21. In Burma, Allied troops have captured one-third of the Japanese stronghold of Myitkyina, including the railway station. An earlier message quoted a correspondent, writing from South-East Asia headquarters, as saying that the Japanese are making another attempt to oust the Chindits from the Henn roadblock. Large enemy forces were encountered south-west of the block and heavy fighting continued for 11 hours. the Japanese experiencing severe casualties. Included in the bag was a Japanese regimental colonel who was leading his troops into battle on a white horse.

During recent scenes of ambushes by small bodies of Chindits on the Bha-mo-Myitkyina road large numbers of the enemy endeavoured to cut the lines of withdrawal of our men. In the ensuing fighting two enemy platoons attempted to envelop a ridge covered by jungle and overlooking the road and cut off a section of our Gurkhas. The Gurkhas avoided the Japanese pincer movement as it slowly closed from the bottom of the hill. The re-' suit was that the Japanese fought each other for an hour, while the Gurkhas looked on and rocked with laughter. This action took place on the supply line to the Japanese troops reaching Myitkyina.