ESCAPE BATTLE

Evening Post, Volume CXL, Issue 21, 25 July 1945, Page 7

ESCAPE BATTLE

JAP PROSPECTS IN BURMA

RUGBY, July 23

One-fifth of the total Japanese force trying to break out of the foothills of the Pegu Yomas across the Allied-held road between Nyaunglegin and Toungoo towards the Sittang River and Siam was killed in the first 36 hours of the trapped Japanese 28th Army s bolt for life. The British and Gurkha and other troops, operating with Scottish tanks and Indian armoured cars, have had negligible casualties. A British staff officer said today that further very heavy enemy casualties are expected, as conditions were ideal for shooting up the rearguards. There are signs that the Japanese are becoming exhausted. . The first escape wave, consisting ot about 5000 men, was cut up and broken into straggling bits long before it reached the west bank of the Sittang. The British and Indian troops have had everything in the right place; the planes, guns, armoured fighting vehicles, and infantry could not have been better placed if they had known exactly where and when the Japanese were coming. The Japanese are prepared, it is believed, to lose over 40 per cent, of their strength in the escape attempt— 8.0. W.