CHANGES IN BURMA

Wairarapa Times-Age, 18 April 1942, Page 3

CHANGES IN BURMA

BRITISH OFFICIAL REPORT INTENSE ENEMY PRESSURE. ONE OILFIELD DESTROYED. (British Official Wireless.) (Received This Day, 9.4 a.m.) RUGBY, April 17. The destruction of one of the oilfields, and a further withdrawal of British troops under intense pressure, are reported in the latest communique from Burma, which states: “On the Irrawaddy front, owing to severe enemy pressure on our right flank, our forces there were withdrawn north of Magwe. The oilfields at Yenangyaung have been destroyed. Our forces at Taungdwingyi are still successfully protecting the right flank of the Chinese Expeditionary Force. After inflicting severe casualties, the King’s Own Yorkshire Light Infantry successfully withdrew by night from Myingun and rejoined our forces. This regiment distinguished itself in this gallant action, with great determination and bravery, and suffered very little loss. “No reports have been received from' the headquarters of the Chinese Expeditionary Force.. “Allied aircraft. yesterday carried out extensive reconnaissances over enemy territory with excellent results. In an attack on a northern airfield on April 10 the R.A.F. destroyed one navy Zero type plane and damaged two, while another of our planes destroyed six enemy fighters. Our losses were one aircraft. On April 12 our Blenheims, in support of the army, bombed Nyaungbenthe at a very low level with considerable success. Three American Volunteer Group fighters attacked the Toungoo aerodrome and destroyed two bombers and one twin-engined reconnaissance craft, with no loss to themselves. A reconnaissance after the raid on the following day on Sinbaungwe, showed that the attack was very successful.” '

The latest developments in the Burma battle area are authoritatively explained in London. Under pressure, the British line has swung from approximately west —east to north-west — south-east. The troops, including the heroic King’s Own Yorkshire Light Infantry .were doing all they could to cover the right flank of the Chinese further to the south-east on the Toun-goo-Mandalay Road, and were now fighting hard, some fifteen miles south of the railway junction of Pyinmana. Still further to the ■ south-east, more Chinese are on the road running north through hilly country towards the southern Shan States. The policy of holding the main road and river communications. while it could not prevent all outflanking movements or infiltrations through jungle tracks or over mountains, had at least helped to slow down the Japanese advance. At the same time the difficulties of communications and supply 'in sparsely-populated jungle and hilly country did much to discourage any enemy landings along the coast of-the Bay of Bengal.

TWO CASUALTIES

IN PORT MORESBY RAID. ONE PERSON KILLED & ONE WOUNDED. (Received This Day, 10.20 a.m.) CANBERRA, This Day. In the Port Moresby raid the casualties were one killed and one wounded. One Japanese fighter was shot down.