CLASHES WITH ENEMY

Dominion, Volume 36, Issue 35, 5 November 1942, Page 5

CLASHES WITH ENEMY

Increased Patrol Activity In Burma ATTACKS BY R.A.F. LONDON, November 3. ■Several clashes with Japanese patrols have been reported from the Burma frontier. A. New Delhi communiQue says that now the rains, have stopped, patrol activity on both sides is increasing. Japanese and small bands of Burmese -under Japanese direction hare been trying to push out parties on the fringes of our forward patrol area. Their object is to terrorize the local population, to get information, and to restrict the activity of our own patrols. One party clashed with the Japanese on the eastern fringe of the Chin Hills in the west of Upper Burma. There were casualties to the enemy but no losses in our party. There was similar activity in what has been the no man’s land between Akyab and the Indian border. Casualties were inflicted on the Japanese, without losses to ourselves. The R.A.IT. has continued to attack enemy aerodromes - and communications. Worry for Japanese. The New Delhi correspondent of the “Daily Telegraph” says that it is re-. garded as very- significant that Japan, when she needs every available plane in the Pacific, should throw comparatively large air forces against the line of Allied air bases forming the link with China. This can only mean that the enemy is worried by -the striking force which the Americans are building up in China and also by the volume of material reaching the American, Chinese and Allied forces. The raids last week against Hong Kong and Canton are believed to have shown Japan that she miscalculated the effect of cutting the Burma Road. There is now a “Burma Road” in the air. QUIET OPTIMISM Chinese Confidence In Victory CHUNGKING, November 3. “I left America feeling complete assurance in victory in the not distart future,” said the Foreign Minister, Mr. Soong, on his return to China. “I have a feeling of restrained optimism. Our greatest difliculties are over and oar worst period passed.” He added that the Americans were building a great, tough, and unbeatable army.' China bad no territorial ambitions, and merely desired to recorer her own territory, such as Manchuria and Formosa, he said.