WARFARE IN BURMA

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 88, Issue 3, 5 January 1944, Page 3

WARFARE IN BURMA

AIR AND LAND SUCCESSES Recd. 6 p.m. Rugby, Jan. 3. In Northern Burma on December 30 a large formation of United States medium bombers hit a warehouse and railway yards areas with more than 21 tons of bombs, starting many fires, says a South-east Asia communique. The same day U.S.A.A.F. heavy bombers dropped 29 tons on Monywa railway yards, again starting fires. American fighters and fighterbombers were active on December 31 throughout the Hukawng Valley in support of ground troops. The same night R.A.F. medium bombers attacked railway installations at Maymo.

United States medium bombers on January 1 attacked the Nu River bridge, destroying the central span and doing further damage to the bridge. The accompanying fighters left 30 railway cars riddled or in flames.

During this period the R.A.F. attacked enemy troop concentrations and positions in the Kalemyo area and fighters carried out sweeps against rail and river traffic, damaging locomotives, rolling stock, and river craft.

In Southern Burma the R.A.F. continued its attacks on enemy communications. Fires were started at a number of objectives, including Prome. R.A.F. fighters destroyed a number of river craft in the Akyab area.

At Arakan, where R.A.F. dive-bomb-ers made repeated attacks on enemy positions, our troops carried out. short advances on the western slopes of the Mayu Range. Elsewhere in this front there has been no change, but our patrols were considerably more active than the enemy’s.

Since the last communique it has been learned that a successful air battle occurred on Friday morning, when 13 enemy aircraft were destroyed and several others probably destroyed or damaged following an attempted Japanese attack on units of our light coastal force returning froffi operations in which the Japanese positions on Ramnee Island were bombarded. From a.ll operations during the period under review one Allied aircraft is missing.—8.0.W. STILWELL’S ATTACK Recd. 6 p.m. London, Jan. 3 Liebrators of the Fourteenth United States Air Force on Friday raided Lampang, in Siam, states General Stillwell’s communique, according to an Allahabad message. Fifty tons of bombs were dropped on the railway yard and several fires were started. Lampang is 220 miles north-east of Rangoon.