MAJOR OFFENSIVE

Wairarapa Times-Age, 1 April 1942, Page 3

MAJOR OFFENSIVE

CONTEMPLATED BY U.S.A. AT EARLIEST POSSIBLE DATE. STATEMEN BY GENERAL MARSHALL. (By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright) WASHINGTON, March 30. The Chief of Staff of the United States Army, General Marshall, told the inter-American Defence Board that the main purpose of America’s military effort “is to gather all our forces for a major offensive at the earliest possible date.” The promised offensive would be followed steadfastly and with determination.

DARWIN RAID NO DAMAGE OR CASUALTIES ON GROUND. ; PLANE LOST BUT CREW SAFE. (British Official Wireless.) (Received This Day, 10.32 a.m.) RUGBY, March 31. Details of yesterday’s raid on Darwin show that seven enemy bombers made one run over the aerodrome and dropped between 25 and bombs. No damage and no casualties were caused. One of our aircraft was lost in combat, but the crew are believed to be safe. RAID ON LASHIO MADE BY JAPANESE PLANES. AMERICAN AIRMEN BRING DOWN BOMBER. (Received This Day, 10.45 a.m.) CHUNGKING, March 31. Japanese planes on Sunday raided Lashio, in Burma (the terminal of the Burma Road) for the first time. According to Kunming dispatches American Volunteer Group airmen brought down one enemy bomber.

UNPLEASANT SURPRISE PROMISED TO JAPANESE IM BURMA. ATTEMPT TO REACH PROME SMASHED. (Received This Day. 10.15 a.m.) MANDALAY, March 31. Our tank forces in Western Burma smashed an initial attempt by 10,000 Japanese troops to penetrate to Prome. A message from the United Nations headquarters at Maymo to the Chinese at Toungoo said: “Every extra hour the Toungoo garrison holds out is an hour in favour of the Allies. The Japanese are due for an unpleasant surprise in the near future.”