ENEMY IN BURMA

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 86, Issue 67, 20 March 1942, Page 5

ENEMY IN BURMA

INFILTRATION DRIVE MOVE UP IRRAWADDY (By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright.) ' London, March 18. In Burma the Japanese arc trying their usual infiltration tactics in an attempt to push northwards on the lines of communication lead- , ing from Rangoon. Heavier fighting is reported in the latest official news. These main com- - munication lines are, first, the Irra- e waddy River in the east, the road f from Rangoon to Prome, and further t west the road from Rangoon to Mandalay. a On the Irrawaddy front forces of ci the enemy are reported to have s moved up the river in boats and to g

1 have landed roughly about 80 miles i north ol Rangoon. They made con- < tact with the traitor Burmese force and then withdrew. ; The communique adds that the j main Japanese strength is still about j 50 miles north of Rangoon on the : Prome road. < On the road to Mandalay our for- i ward troops have been in action. The • Japanese now appear to be advancing i up the road. Allied planes have been in action < over the Japanese lines in the rear': and carried out attacks on the banks ; of the Sittang River. i OPTIMISM JUSTIFIED BATTLE NOT STARTED London, March 17. < “The new Allied strategy justifies ’ an optimistic outlook in Burma,” said ■ Lieut.-General Alexander, the com- ’ mander in Burma, in a further inter- ! view in Mandalay to-day. ' “We are now trying to beat the 1 Japanese at their own game,” he 1 stated. “In many ways they are as - good an enemy as the Boche—they 1 are well trained, and had their campaign planned years ago. “The Imperial forces are at present in contact with the enemy in the, Shwegyin-Nyuang-Lebin area, where the enemy has been pushed back, and Japanese in liltrations are being met by effective counter-measures. "in : ate of the loss of Rangoon the Battle of Burma has not even started yet.” Reviewing the past fighting, General Alexander said that the Britisi troops had performed magnificently. He added that, the Chinese forces who had recently joined the Allies in Burma are excellent an J have very sound ideas about how to deal with the Japanese. REINFORCED IN AIR JAPANESE ARMIES Rugby, March 18. It is considered that while Japanese claims to have obtained complete air superiority in the skies over Burma are exaggerated it is probably true that they have been able to considerably reinforce their air forces in this area from Malaya and elsewhere further south where fighting has now ceased. There is no appreciable change in the situation in Burma, according to the latest 4 news reaching authoritative quarters in London. The British forces, it is pointed out, are holding points along the main lines of communications leading north rather that solid lines of defence.—B.O.W.