BRITISH INFANTRYMAW

Wairarapa Times-Age, 24 May 1943, Page 4

BRITISH INFANTRYMAW

NEW PROOF OF, HIS QUALITY JAPANESE BEATEN IN JUNGLE CAMPAIGN. MORE ABOUT THE WINGATE EXPEDITION. (By Telegraph—Press Association— Copyright) (Received This Day, Noon.) LONDON, May 22.

“The ordinary city-bred British infantryman, with proper training, is a better man than the Japanese in jungle fighting,” declared Brigadier C. O. Wingate, leader of the British column which recently made a deep penetration into Japanese-occupied territory in Burma. Brigadier Wingate told Reuter’s correspondent on the Burma front that the Japanese had had time to train a large number of troops for jungle warfare, but they were not brought up to jungle conditions any more than the British. There was an idea, after the evacuation of Burma, that we should have called in native troops familiar with the jungle, but Field-Marshal Wavell expressed the opinion that British infantrymen could defeat the Japanese in the jungle when properly trained. “The Japanese are hard-working and methodical, but lacking in imagination,” said Brigadier Wingate. “They, like the Germans, have a stereotyped way of dealing with situations and can be caught out.” While he did not think highly of the Japanese command and staff, he had a high opinion of the bravery of the Japanese as soldiers. Referring to the Burmese. Brigadier V/ingate commented: “When we went into the jungle there was a risk that we might be betrayed by the local Burmese. If this had been so our expedition would have failed, but there was no case of betrayal. I believe the Burmese realise that we stand more for the ethical standards of Buddhism, which is most important to them, than do the Japanese, despite their professions of faith. The Burmese see in the Japanese an angry little man, povertystricken, grabbing all he can get, whereas they had affectionate memories of the old British administration, which meant luxuries they cannot get now, as well as medical attention and development of mind and body. When we entered villages, women and children remained unafraid of being roped in for forced labour, whereas when the Japanese enter they disappear. In fact the local attitude is: ‘lt is the Japanese who brought trouble’.” “The Times” correspondent at General Headquarters in India says the Burmese named the members of Brigadier Wingate’s expedition “Chindits,” after the fabulous Griffins which guard Burmese temples. Brigadier Wingate was the chief “Chindit.” He was also known as “Lord Protector of Pagodas” by friendly Burmese villagers, to whom he wrote a manifesto speaking of: “Mysterious men who come among you who can summon a great air power and who will rid you of the fierce and scowling Japanese.” There is no doubt, adds the correspondent, that one achievement of the expedition has been to strengthen the local guerillas, who are constantly harassing the enemy in the interior.