ROAD BLOCKS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 2 April 1942, Page 3

ROAD BLOCKS

CLEARED SOUTH OF PROMT BRITISH AND INDIAN TROOPS IN ACTION. JAPANESE AIR CONTROL. (British Official Wireless.) (Received This Day, 9.27 a.m.) RUGBY, April 1. A Burma communique states: “The attack, to clear road blocks at Shwedaung, did not materialise as a force to the south, consisting of units of the Gloucesters, West Yorks, Cameronians and Duke of Wellingtons, assisted by two Indian Frontier Force battalions from the north, opened the road late on Monday, after hard fighting under intense enemy air action throughout the day. The enemy sustained heavy losses during these engagements and our casualties were moderate. “The situation on Tuesday was that our troops were back in their original defended areas. The enemy, in force, hold Shwedaung, on the western bank of the Irrawaddy River, while other columns are operating to the east, astride the railway north of Paungoe. They still have complete control of the air. Our river patrols fought extremely successful actions and have now withdrawn north, protecting our right flank from infiltration. “Yesterday the enemy bombed a landing-ground in Central Burma and another in Northern Burma, but the damage' inflicted was negligible. Shwedaung is on the Prome Road, nearly 20 miles south-east of Prome. Paungoe is fifteen miles south-east of Shwedaung, on the same road. The original defended areas, to which the communique says the British have withdrawn, are presumably the defences of Prome, as that town for some time has been the British base on the Irrawaddy front. The situation around Toungoo remains obscure.