BANDITS ELUDED

Auckland Star, Volume LXXIII, Issue 165, 15 July 1942, Page 5

BANDITS ELUDED

BURMA'S GOVERNOR

Defence Of Country Was Well

Worth While

United Press Association.—Copyright. Rec. 12.30 p.m. LONDON, July 14

A change of plans by one hour prevented the capture of Sir Reginald Dorman-Smith, formerly Governor of Burma, by bandits in Burma and being held for ransom to the British Government.

Sir Reginald, after the fall of Rangoon, went to investigate trouble among chiefs in the Shan States. He made his headquarters at Taunggyi. After the trouble had been settled he decided to start his return journey an hour earlier, and his car passed through a band of robbers in the jungle who were waiting to waylay him.

The bandits were not prepared to act when the Governor's car surprised them an hour early. The plot was discovered afterwards. Sir Reginald mentioned it in a speech in London to-day. He also mentioned an earlier attempt to kidnap him and his wife, which was discovered after the danger had passed. Speaking to a Press conference, Sir Reginald Dorman-Smith declared: "We were knocked out of the ring in Burma, but the second round will begin. We shall climb back into the ring. We are looking forward to a really successful round. If our troops had not defended every inch of Burma and had let the Japanese right through there would have been a very awkward situation for India.

"Every sacrifice made in Burma was worth while. We want our troops, when they go to Burma again, to be well received. We don't want Burma to think we regard it as a hostile country and that we are ready to cut their throats."