ENEMY GARRISON

Dominion, Volume 37, Issue 200, 22 May 1944, Page 5

ENEMY GARRISON

FATE Central Burma Front ATTACK ON THREE SIDES (British Official Wireless.) (Received May 21, 8.50 p.m.) RUGBY. May 20. 'file .Japanese garrison of Myitkyina is being driven out by American and Chinese forces, who are steadily closing in from three sides, states the South-east Asia communique. One column of our troops has advanced to the Irrawaddy River, four miles south of Myitkyina. The village of Zigyn has been occupied ami our patrols have entered Katyo across the river. A further column is advancing north of Myitkyina. In the Mogauug valley, operations continue against the trapped remnants of the garrison at. Warone. and elements of the Chinese 22nd Division are holding their roadblock across the Knmaing road south of Malakawg in face of enemy attacks. There was no major activity elsewhere on the Burma front on Friday. Air operations are being carried out effectively throughout Burma. A correspondent writing from Southeast Asia headquarters says the Japanese are making another attempt, to oust the Chindits from the Henn roadblock. Large enemy forces were encountered south-west of the block and heavy fighting continued for 11 hours, the Japanese experiencing severe casualties. Included in the bag was a Japanese regimental colonel who was leading his troops into battle on a white horse. South of the block in the enemy-occu-pied portion of Mawlu. more of our troops attacked a village and evicted the enemy. Among the troops engaged in these actions were West Africans. Gurkhas Enjoy the Joke.

During recent scenes of ambushes by small bodies of Chindits on the BhamoMyitkyina road large numbers of the enemy endeavoured to cut the lines of withdrawal of our men. In the ensuing fighting two enemy platoons attempted to envelop a ridge covered by jungle and overlooking the road and cut off a section of our Gurkhas. The Gurkhas avoided the Japanese pincer movement as it slowly closed from the bottom of the hill. The result was that the Japanese fought each other for an hour, while the Gurkhas looked on and rocked with laughter. This action took place on the supply, line to the Japanese troops reaching Myitkyina. The Fifth Infanry Division was transported by air from Arakan to Imphal in the early stages of the fighting in the Manipur area, states an official message from Kandy. This is the first time a whole division has been moved by air from one battlefront to another, covering a distance of over 200 miles in 36 hours. Not a single aircraft or soldier was lost. It would have taken six weeks to make the journey by land. . . Troop-carriers gliding in the_Myitkyina airfield at intervals of 15 to -0 minutes are bringing in reinforcements to the Chinese-American forces besieging Myitkyina. says Reuter’s correspondent at the airfield. The troops immediately on landing form up and march direct to the fighting front. Success for Chinese.

After preparatory bombing, shelling and strafing from the air. Chinese troops entered Tatangzu, early on Wednesday morning and drove enemy battalions into the mountains. Later in the day. however, the Japanese counter-attaekea. Fighting at present is going on inside the town, which is the site of the Japanese headquarters and the last major obstacle in the Chinese drive to cross the mountains to Tengchung, says the “New York Times” Chungking correspondent. The Chinese, who are apparently attempting to reach Tengchung. by a threepronged movement, split their forces in the Chiaotou area after capturing the town. One force is driving westward toward Burma and the other southward along the Kaolikung mountain range. The third force, progressing south from the Burma road, has completed the occupation of the Salween River bend. General Stilwell’s communique says that American fighter-bombers yesterday bombed and strafed Japanese positions on the Salween front, including Changtso and Watien, in the Mamien Pass. Fighterbombers with a direct hit destroyed the central span of a bridge across the bhweli River north of Tengchung.