NO GREAT CHANGE

Wairarapa Times-Age, 19 March 1942, Page 4

NO GREAT CHANGE

IN SITUATION IN BURMA ACCORDING TO LATEST NEWS REACHING LONDON. BRITISH DEFENCE OF MAIN COMMUNICATIONS. (British Official Wireless.) (Received This Day, 10.30 a.m.) RUGBY, March 18. There is no appreciable change in the situation .in Burma, according to the latest news reaching authoritative quarters in London. The British forces, it is pointed out, are holding points along the main lines of communication leading to the north rather than solid lines of defence. It is considered that, while the Japanese claims to have obtained complete air superiority over the skies in Burma is exaggerated, it is probably true that they have been able to considerably reinforce their air forces in this area; from Malaya and elsewhere further south where fighting has now ceased. A Burma communique states: “On the Irrawaddy front certain parties of the enemy are reported to have come up the river in boats on March 15 and to have landed at Teindaw, south of Monyo and the Tharrawaw. They made contact with local traitor Burmans and then withdrew. “A large number of men, mostly Ghurkas, who were cut off in the Taukkyan battle, are now back at Prome. “The Japanese strength is still south of Taikkyi. “On the Toungoo front our forward are in action with a strong enemy force south of Kanyutkwin, which appears to be advancing up the main road towards Taungoo.”