BITTER FIGHTING
IN DEFENCE OF BURMA THE LOSS OF MARTABAN. ACTION* AT PAAN SLACKENS. (By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright) LONDON, February 14. The bitterest fighting of the war in Burma has occurred during the past few days since the Japanese thrust across the Salween River, says Reuter’s correspondent. Tire Indians have borne the brunt of the fighting and acquitted themselves gallantly. Martaban fell after a considerable force crossed the Salween and worked its way to the rear of the town, linking up another force landed from the sea northward of Martaban. The garrison, consisting of British and Indians, cut its way through the Japanese lines to escape encirclement. A Rangoon communique states that after two days fighting in the Paan area action slackened. Apparently the Japanese second big attempt on the Salween front collapsed, with considerable Japanese casualties. Japanese air activity has also slackened, but British and American pilots are constantly pounding the Japanese positions. Japanese pressure eased along the entire east Burma front tonight after a heavy force of Allied bombers in low-level flights dropped thousands of pounds of fragmentation bombs on enemy troop concentrations in the Paan area. The planes descended almost to tree-top level and all of them returned. Blenheim bombers struck at the Japanese about two miles from Paan on the road toward Thaton, which is regarded as an admission that the
enemy has forced a second crossing of the Salween River. Fresh Chinese troops poured into Burma yesterday, and it is stated that thousands more are on the way. All have had fighting experience against the Japanese.
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Wairarapa Times-Age, 16 February 1942, Page 3
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260BITTER FIGHTING Wairarapa Times-Age, 16 February 1942, Page 3
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