REARGUARD ACTION

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume 80, 5 January 1945, Page 5

REARGUARD ACTION

JAPS ON ROAD TO MANDALAY DESPERATE MOVES LIKELY ALLIED SUPERIORITY INCREASES Kandy, Jan. 4. While the Japanese are likely to fight a strong rearguard action for every yard of the road to Mandalay ever-increasing Allied superiority must inevitably continue to drive them back steadily, unless they make more of their suicide stands, says the Associated Press of Australia correspondent. Even a suicide stand, however, can mean only a temporary hold-up in the Allied* advance. The Japanese fare doing everything they can to delay the 14th Army advance as long as possible. As well as using artillery they have been leaving delayed action bombs behind them. The 14th Army is now busy clearing obstacles from the airfield at Yeu. The airfield will be a great help in easing supply, problems. A south-east Asia Command communique states; “Allied heavy bombers yesterday damaged tracks, locomotives and rolling stock on the BangkokMoulmein railway. Fighters made a strong attack on enemy troop concentrations in northern Burma. Our bridgehead in the Kabo weir area has been enlarged in the face of enemy opposition. Our troops have captured positions immediately north of Kanbalu and other positions eight miles to the east. In the northern combat area Chinese troops advanced more than a mile down the Namhkan Road.”