WIDESPREAD RAIDS

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 88, Issue 7, 10 January 1944, Page 5

WIDESPREAD RAIDS

OPERATIONS IN BURMA Recd. 6 p.m. Rugby, Jan. 7. In widespread raids on Tuesday and Wednesday large formations of the East Asia Air Command dropped over 130 tons of bombs on the extensive oil installations at Yenangyaung, in Burma. All the objectives were hit heavily, says a New Delhi communique, tires and explosions resulting. United States heavy bombers on Tuesday attacked Akyab, and that night R.A.F. heavy bombers raided the airfield of Heho and the railway .yards at Prome. On Wednesday night medium bombers attacked the railway yards at Nyingan. .' Since the New Year, R.A.F. dives bombers of the tactical air force have made daily attacks on the enemy forward positions on the Mayu peninsula. On the western slopes of the Mayu range our troops held their recentlywon positions against Japanese attacks and made a further sligh advance.

In northern Burma American fighters and fighter-bombers attacked the airfield at Myitkyina.

On the first four days of the year fighters and fighter-bombers made extensive attacks through the I-lukawng Valley, where American-trained Chinese troops in the Yupband Gap area have driven the Japanese from the west bank of the Chindwin River, crossed to the east bank, and taken up new positions.

Elsewhere in this region United States fighter-bombers destroyed or damaged over 40 railway cars and riddled four locomotives. Both American and R.A.F. fighters successfully shot up over 80 river craft and damaged over 40. R.A.F. dive-bombers and fighter-bombers maintained their attacks on positions in the Kalemyo and upper Chindwin areas. From the Suprabum areas a successful ambush by our levies of a Japanese supply column is reported. Many casualties were inflicted on the enemy and the column was forced,' to turn back.

No Allied aircraft are missing from these operations.—B.O.W.