HEAVY FIGHTING

Wairarapa Times-Age, 25 February 1942, Page 4

HEAVY FIGHTING

ON FRONT EAST OF RANGOON PRIOR TO WITHDRAWAL BEHIND SITTANG. ENEMY PLANES DESTROYED ON GROUND. (By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright) (Received This Day, 12.20 p.m.) RANGOON, February 24. It is officially announced in New Delhi that General Hartley, Comman-der-in-Chief in India, has become responsible for the operations in Burma. The All India radio reports: “British troops on the South Burma front withdrew on February 20, after several days of heavy fighting against a reinforced enemy. Our forces in the Bilin River area counter-attacked with the bayonet and inflicted heavy casualties. The Japanese, on February 22. heavily attacked our troops holding a bridgehead on the east bank of the Sittang River. After savage fighting on February 23, when the bridgehead was penetrated, we made repeated coun-ter-attacks, inflicting heavy losses. The British troops withdrew after demolition of the bridge. R.A.F. and American planes, which were active throughout the day in support of the land forces, destroyed four grounded enemy planes.” SINGAPORE CAPTIVES INCLUDE 4,600 WOUNDED LARGE NUMBER OF BRITISH CIVILIANS. (Received This Day, 12.20 p.m.) TOKIO, February 24. The Domei News Agency says that 4,600 wounded British soldiers are at the Cathay Hotel in Singapore, under the care of the Japanese and adds that 1,282 British civilians, including 92 women, remained in Singapore.