FIVE MONTHS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 18 May 1942, Page 3

FIVE MONTHS

GAINED FOR PREPARATION IN INDIA AS RESULT OF BURMA CAMPAIGN. GENERAL ALEXANDER’S SURVEY. LONDON, May 17. General Alexander has stated that Japanese efforts to encircle British, Indian and Chinese troops in Burma have failed completely. The resistance offered to the enemy in Burma, General Alexander said, had given India .five months in which to prepare and perhaps the monsoon would give her another five months. It was not certain, however, that the monsoonal rains would stop the Japanese. For the third successive day our troops on the Chindwin River have not been in contact with the Japanese. Japanese planes yesterday bombed a town in the thickly populated part of Eastern Assam. Casualties were light and damage negligible. Chinese troops have captured a town in the Shan States, north of Siam. A thousand Japanese were killed. Chinese bombers have successfully attacked enemy-occupied bases in Indo-China. In North-East Burma United States heavy bombers made their third attack on an enemy-occupied aerodrome at Myitkyina. The results are not known yet. All the planes returned safely. Chinese reinforcements have crossed the Salween River at several points and are now pressing back the Japanese on the other side. A Japanese column advancing on Hungmushu was put to flight., POSITION OF TROOPS ALLIED AND ENEMY FORCES. REPLY TO FANTASTIC JAPANESE CLAIM. (British Official Wireless.) (Received This Day, 10.5 a.m.) RUGBY, May 17. It is thought that the Japanese in Burma are in Karewa, on the Upper Chindwin River. The Chinese are believed to be still in the region between Shwebo and Katha, on the Upper Ir-j rawaddy River, which the Japanese claim to have captured. The Japanese who are reported to be advancing into the Chinese province of Yunnan are thought to be comparatively small detachments. With reference to a Japanese claim to have captured 421 British nuns, an authoritative comment in London is that if the British commander had ever had 421 guns in Burma he would not have had to retreat. GALLANT EFFORT MADE BY BRITISH TROOPS IN BURMA. REGROUPING IN PROGRESS. (British Official' Wireless.) (Received This Day, 11.5 a.m.) RUGBY, May 17. General Alexander, in an interview, referred to the long lines of tired British soldiers marching towards India and said: “Those men have fought with gallantry and their comrades are still fighting. Now these forces are being regrouped and that regrouping is going forward satisfactorily. We have kept the Japanese off from any possibility of invading India before the monsoon. Had we been trapped, in Rangoon, the Japanese would have had a clear road to Mandalay and India and that would have been appalling. Now we have given India five months to prepare and perhaps the monsoons will give her another five months. I do not know if the enemy will be held off by the rains, but I should think this country would be impassable in the wet season. We must, however, be prepared for anything. Our troops have had a tremendous task .of fighting and now our supply difficulties are great. Our tanks are worn out and our wireless communications are deteriorating owing to broken parts needing replacement. The Japanese aim of encircling, however, has been conspicuously unsuccessful. I am doing all I can for the refugees who have actually come through with the forward troops, but the Japanese cannot use the same tricks with refugees here as they did in Malaya. I have provided armed men to look after the refugees, and. on routes where it is possible have given transport and helped to stock the routes with water and food. We have made arrangements to pass through refugees to the very last.” The correspondent adds that lorry convoys poured past the general on a new road, but that difficulties are very great between the terminus and the front.