BURMA CAMPAIGN

Wairarapa Times-Age, 4 February 1942, Page 3

BURMA CAMPAIGN

FIGHTING ON THE SALWEEN RIVER ENEMY BRIDGEHEAD ESTABLISHED. IN SPITE OF AIR FORCE ATTACK. (By Telegraph—Press Association— Copyright) LONDON, February 2. The Rangoon correspondent of the British United Press says that the Japanese crossed the Salween River from Shwegun, which is 40 miles north of Moulmein on the eastern bank of the Salween. Evacuees from Moulmein say that the Japanese used barges to cross the river. Blenheims with fighter escort heavily attacked Japanese who were attempting to cross. The Japanese replied with heavy machine-gun fire, but they were silenced, and .there were no British losses. Pilots said that hundreds of the Japanese jumped into the water and swam for their lives. The British rearguard had also to swim the swiftlyflowing Salween River after thenevacuation of Moulmein. Another message from Rangoon says that the Japanese have followed up their Moulmein success with power and rapidity. Machine-guns strafed the British rearguard retreating across the Salween, and simultaneously the Japanese brought up barges and outboard motor-boats and marshalled them on the eastern bank. They then immediately attempted to make a crossing eight or ten miles upstream from Moulmein. In spite of the attack by the Air Force, they established a brideghead and, at night, slipped through the low hills and raided the single-track railway from Martaban. They were driven off, but the infiltration has continued, and hand-to-hand fighting is going on. Fresh Indian troops have been rushed up. The Japanese occupied Kadu Island, which is on the Salween, 10 miles north-east of Moulmein. Later dispatches from the front stated that in addition to the crossing of the Salween eight miles north of Martaban, another threat is developing 27 miles upstream at Paan, which has been occupied by the Japanese. A Royal Air Force communique from Rangoon says that Allied bombers have made successful attacks on Japanese troops on Martaban Island in the estuary of the Salween. All the aircraft returned.