GALLANT EXPLOIT

Wairarapa Times-Age, 13 July 1943, Page 3

GALLANT EXPLOIT

HIGHLANDERS IN BURMA 46 JAPANESE KILLED & MANY WOUNDED. BY SMALL ATTACKING PARTY. , (British Official Wireless.) RUGBY. July 11. Twelve Seaforth Highlanders, led by a 23-year-old subaltern, attacked a garrison of 200 Japanese in the hills of Burma and killed 46 and wounded many others. The Highlanders’ casualties were two killed and two wounded. Maharattas made a frontal attack on the stockade, drawing out the Japanese from strong positions to the perimeter of their defences. Meanwhile, the Highlanders crossed wire in the rear of the enemy and occupied the post in the face of intense fire. The Seaforths were barely in position before the Japanese, realising what had happened, launched a bayonet charge. The Scotsmen held their fire till the enemy was within 20 or 30 yards, when they let them have it with machine-guns, rifles and grenades. The Japanese broke and retired, and two similar charges met the same result. Some of the enemy, however, began to infiltrate at the rear of our troops, and the Scottish officer, with only eight men against 150 of the enemy, fought his way to the wire, hotly pursued by the Japanese. The Highlanders succeeded in reaching the jungle, where the Japanese did not follow them. A communique issued in Delhi states: “American bombers yesterday attacked enemy sdpply bases and installations in northern Burma. At Samprabrnm, there were direct hits on three large buildings. At Monkong, bombs fell in the target area. At Kamanithi fires were started. All the American planes returned.” AIR RAIDS & PATROLS DAMAGE DONE TO STEAMERS & OTHER CRAFT. (Received This Day, 10.15 a.m.) RUGBY, July 12. An India communique states: “Yesterday R.A.F. Vengeance aircraft attacked Minbya, an enemy-occupied village about 30 miles north-east .of Akyab, and a formation of Blenheims bombed Hawlaik, on the Chindwin River. Fighters on an offensive patrol damaged three steamers and other river craft on the Irrawaddy and ma-chine-gunned objectives in the Buthidaung area. Not one of our aircraft is missing.”