ENEMY LOSSES

Wairarapa Times-Age, 27 February 1942, Page 3

ENEMY LOSSES

OUT OF ALL PROPORTION TO DAMAGE IN RANGOON British Troops Reorganising Behind Sittang River t CHINESE FORCES TAKING UP POSITIONS IN NORTH GENERAL MACARTHUR’S ARMY COUNTERATTACKING IN PHILIPPINES LONDON, February 26. The latest news from the Far East comes from Burma, where Japanese bombers attempted to carry out a mass raid on Rangoon. An official communique states that.2l enemy planes were destroyed, but agency despatches coming in since put the total at 27 shot down, with seven more probably destroyed. Reuter’s correspondent says the raid was made by the biggest enemy formation yet-seen over Rangoon. The Japanese were evidently all out to deal a crippling blow. The R.A.F. and the American Volunteer Group tore into the Japanese planes. These broke formation and countless dogfights followed. It can definitely be stated that the raid was a failure. The Japanese losses were out of all proportion to any damage the enemy might have caused. The only news of the land fighting in Burma is that our troops are reorganising behind the Sittang River. Enemy forces are being moved northward along the eastern bank of the river. Chinese troops are taking up positions ready to meet any Japanese thrust northward to Mandalay. Some of the Chinese forces may have been in action already. In the Netherlands East Indies the main news is of air and naval activity by the Allies. American submarines have torpedoed two enemy transports and attacked a Japanese squadron of warships and are believed to have hit at least one. Allied bombers again attacked the enemy in Southern Sumatra, causing fires near aerodromes and storage yards. More cheerful news comes from the Philippines, where General MacArthur’s forces have captured a number of enemy advance positions. At some points the Japanese were pushed back several miles. The enemy’s main defences, however, have not been penetrated.