MUCH OUTNUMBERED

Wairarapa Times-Age, 6 April 1942, Page 4

MUCH OUTNUMBERED

ALLIED FORCES IN BURMA ONLY DELAYING TACTICS POSSIBLE. OPERATIONS IN RIVER VALLEYS. (British Official Wireless.) (Received This Day. 11.15 a.m.) RUGBY, April 5. The campaign in Burma is being followed in Britain with anxious attention. It is realised that as long as the Japanese enjoy their present numerical superiority the Allied forces must constantly give ground in order to avoid being surrounded. The manner in which they have so far succeeded, despite grave handicaps, in always presenting a front to the enemy, evokes admiration. The Japanese lines of advance are in practice confined to two river valleys—those of the Irrawaddy 'and Sittang—since the intervening country is unsuitable for large-scale, rapid operations. The British tactics appear to be to take up a position astride a valley and hold it while the advancing enemy reconnoitres it and deploys forces for attack. The enemy, with his superior numbers, probes the position and feels his way round one flank or the other, or both. This costs him casualties and takes time, but after the enemy attack has been mounted and his forces pushed round the flanks, the British forces can no longer remain in their positions. They must get away in order to be able to repeat their tactics elsewhere. Where the next stand north of Prome will be made is not yet apparent, but evidently the Prome position became untenable a few days ago and the British forces were withdrawn to avoid envelopment.