North of Imphal

18/6/44. No. 7 NOT TO BE PUBLISHED OR BROADCAST BEFORE 2.30 P.M. D.B.S.T. WEEKLY REVIEW OF THE BURMA FIGHTING. The week ending Friday,June 16th, has been one of continued fierce fighting in all sectors of the Burma front. Monsoon conditions are now general but, though air have operations been of necessity restricted to some extent, there has been no slacken- ing in the land effort. General Stilwell’s Chinese-American forces in North Burma have been slowly press- ing the enemy back, despite stiff resistance in both the Mogaung Valley and the Myitkyina areas. Chinese troops have completely encircled Kamaing. Ground gained just South of Mogaung has been consolidated and the village of Pin Hmii nearby is firmly held since its capture by the Chindits in the bitter fight for Myitkynia, North Burma’s largest town. Chinese and American units have repeatedly beaten off counter-attacks. after overcoming enemy fortified points inside the town. Other units have been closing in on the town from the North, West and South. South of the town and East of the Irrawaddy, the Chindits have been fighting hard, and in one recent engagement killed more than a hundred Japanese. In the Mogaung area considerable Japanese equipment, including artillery pieces and ammunition, has been captured. Inhabited places including Chakrao six miles West of Kamaing, Kadon, East of Tumbonghka and Zigyun, East of the river and a mile North of Kamaing, have been occupied by our troops. The fight around Mogaung. General Lentaigne’s forces in taking Pin Hmii seized the and fled. Chinese units 200 rail cars filled with ammunition, when enemy broke the within miles of the town. advancing on Mogaung from North are now eight In spite of bad weather, effective air support was given General Stilwell’s troops. USAAF aircraft maintained their offensive against enemy, positions, supply near and dumps, and concentrations and railway lines and bridges Myitkyina Mogaung. bombed and The Southern end of the North airfield at Myithkyina was machine-gunned. there has been no major change On the Manipur front, in a week of hard fighting his withdrawal under pressure South in the situation. The enemy has continued East of the villages of and East of Kohima, on the road to Imphal. Kohima Jessami miles of the and our have cleared 24 and Chizami are in our hands, troops Kohima- Jessami track. Forces Northwards from having On the Kohima-Imphal road our advancing Imphal, contact 18 miles North of are in by-passed a road block at milestone 116, Imphal, /with the 2 North a line some two miles with the enemy four miles further along stretching Eastwards in support of the advance up the road. Other troops are in operation of animals in the to the East. A large enemy convoy men and moving Eastwards area was practically wiped out. On the Imphal-Ukhrul road, there has been heavy fighting in the three days 9-11 June. In this sector, 309 Japanese bodies were counted. in the of In the Bishenpur area there has been further fighting village had achieved a local Ningthoukhonga. On June 12, after the enemy aided by tanks a restored the and penetration of our perimeter, counter-attack fully position, Near has been active on and five Japanese tanks were destroyed. Palel the enemy 11 with the around the scraggy feature, and two enemy attacks here on June support of two tanks were repulsed with 40 Japanese killed. The Third Tactical Air Force maintained its close support of our ground forces on the Manipur front. Fighters, fighter-bombers and dive-bombers continuously attacked enemy positions, troop concentrations, supply bridges along the lines of communication. The Arakan front has been quiet with some patrolling. Oour troops moved Northwards from Mowdok and took up new positions in the Sangu Valley. The air effort in this sector consisted of routine patrols and attacks on rivercraft, troop concentrations and a local headquarters. Over the whole Burma front the air-ferrying of men and supplies was maintained in spite of severe weather conditions. There was no enemy interference and his air force was conspicuous by its absence. The strategic offensive of Eastern Air Command has continued with attacks by long-range R.A.F. fighters on road and river transport, railways, factories and camps in Central and Southern Burma. On one mission a large river steamer was left on fire after six direct hits with rocket projectiles. There was only One intruder raid by long-range U.S.A.A.F. fighters against the Meiktila group of airfields, and no enemy aircraft was seen. From the week’s operations three Allied aircraft are missing. Hard fighting in extremely difficult weather conditions is the order of the day in almost all sectors of the Burma front. As an example, our positions in the Bishenpur area have often been water-logged in the past week. No major change or quick conclusion to the present operation can be expected. It is a period of dogged and prolonged conflict. S.E.A.C 18.6.44. No.8. NOT FOR PUBLICATION, BROADCAST IN OVERSEAS BULLETINS OR USE ON CLUB TAPES BEFORE 2350 D.B.S.T. ON SUNDAY 18 JUNE (i.e. FOR MONDAY MORNING PAPERS). NOT TO BE BROADCAST IN THE MIDNIGHT NEWS OF 18/19 JUNE. THIS EMBARGO SHOULD BE RESPECTED OVERSEAS BY PREFACING ANY MESSAGES FILED WITH THE EMBARGO. THE NORTAMPTONS IN ITALY (until 25th May) The Northamptons took part in General Alexander’s great offensive. Their formation advanced along Highway 6 in the drive for Rome, and, as May a early as the 17th/staged a powerful attack against/strongly held German sector in which 20 anti-tank guns were knocked out and over 300 prisoners of war were taken. A week later the Northamptons were among the leading troops of the division in their advance along Highway 6. On the 25th May they were beyond Aquino and were preparing to cross the Melfa. The Northamptons have taken, part in actions on the east and west coast of the peninsula, on the central massif and in the Anzio beachhead. The regiment has indeed shared in some of the most testing fighting of the campaign; for example, on the line of the Garigliano with the Fifth Army in January, and in the hard-fought battles which led to the estab- lishment and extension of a bridgehead across the Sangro. A unit of the regiment was in the line near Cassino during April. MILITARY AFFAIRS. THIS COPY HAS BEEN TRANSMITTED TO O.W.I.F0R 18/6/44 - No. 11 DISTRIBUTION TO U.S. & CANADIAN PRESS AND RADIO S.H.A.E.F. Supreme Headquarters, Advanced Command Post, Allied Expeditionary Force. 1100, 18 June 1 944. COMMUNIQUE No. 25 Allied forces in the area of St. Sauveur Le Vicomte hove made further progress westwards. Local clashes continue in the Tilly and Caen sectors. Clearing weather in the late afternoon yesterday permitted the resumption of air our tactical operations on a considerable scale. Enemy air opposition was sporadic. Heavy day bombers struck at five enemy air fields and landing strips in the Tours-Nantes area. Their fighter escort later strafed targets of opportunity. Our medium and light bombers were brought into action with good results against fuel dumps in the Bois du Homme (South of Caumont) and in the Senonches-La Loupe area (West of Chartres). Other medium bomber formations attacked the railway yards at Mezidon and a forty-mile stretch of track between Le Merlerault and St.Lubin on the Paris-Granville line. Five gun emplacements were attacked by fighter bombers, which were active during the afternoon against a variety of targets in an area from Coutances to Les Pieux and eastwards across the Cherbourg peninsula to Quettehou. Constant armed reconnais- sance patrols were flown over the combat zone in front of our troops. Other formations of fighter bombers attacked military objectives elsewhere in Northern France. Enemy communications were attacked at many points by light bombers on offensive patrols last night. No. 12. NOT FOR PUBLICATION, BROADCAST IN OVERSEAS BULLETINS OR USE ON CLUB TAPES BEFORE 2330 D.B.S.T. ON 186.44. (i.e. FOR MONDAY MORNING PAPERS). NOT TO BE BROADCAST IN THE MIDNIGHT NETS OF 18/19. THIS EMBARGO SHOULD BE RESPECTED OVERSEAS BY PREFACING ANY MESSAGES FILED WITH THE EMBARGO. THE COLDSTREAM GUARDS IN ITALY (UP TO 29 MAY) The Coldstream Guards have played an important part in the Italian campaign from the Salerno beaches to the most recent offensive. During General Alexander's great attack they had a big share in the drive from Cassino along Highway 6. They were among the first British troops to advance south of Cassino, and, having-helped cut the San Giorgio Road and thus to by-pass the battered town during the first days of the offensive, they fought their way northward to Highway 6 and thence drove westwards towards Aquino. On May 20 they were among the troops who crossed the stream, Forme d'Aquino, They then rat the southward road to pontecorvo, and a few days later forced a crossing of the Melfa. The Coldstream's brigade had to its credit the capture of Col Dragone on May 26, and after a battle which raged for several days it took Monte picolo and Monte Grande, a mile or so from Arce, MILITARY AFFAIRS. 18/6/44 - No. 13 Air Ministry No. 14387 AIR MINISTRY COMMUNIQUE Last night aircraft of Bomber Command attacked military installations A in Northern France and laid nines in enemy waters.

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