Evening star., 1942-03-05
WASHINGTON, Co. THURSDAY,
laps Cross Sittang,
Head Down Coast Of
Gulf Of Mahaban
Invaders Reach Wow,
Less Thun so Miles
From Rungoon
BY the Associated Press.

By the Associated Press.
MANDALAY, Burma. March
S. - japanese invasion forces
Streamed across the lower
reaches of the Sittang River and
headed down the west coast of
the Gulf of Martaban today, put
ting behind them the last nat
ural barrier on the route to Ran
COON.
A terse communique, issued here
last night, acknowledged that the in
vaders had cracked British defenses
along the Sittang and had reached
Waw, only IS miles northwest OF
Pegu, way station on the railway
linking Rsngoon with the Burma
road to China.
Highway to Rangoon.
From Waw a paved two-way lane
highway traverses fiat rice lands to
Rangoon, less than so miles to the
southwest.
An army communique from RAN
COON said today:
"A party Of the enemy was en-
gagged by our forces in the area of
Waw to the northeast of Pegu.
"Waw was attacked by six enemy
bombers and the town was set on
fire.
There is no further report of con-
facts with the enemy at hand"
Planes on Reconnaissance.
An air communique said:
During the day the r. A. F. car
ried out reconnaissance and patrol
work.
Yesterday evening a small patrol
Of R. A. F. fighters encountered a
formation of Japanese aircraft. De-
spite the enemy'S numerical su-
periority. the formation was broken
up and one Japanese fighter was
shot down.
The R. A. F. had no losses"
The communiQue announcing that
the japanese had crossed the Sit
tang gave no details, but is was as
sumed here that the japanese, en-
ploying numerically superior forces.
had outflanked British troops hold
ing positions near the mouth of the
river.
Military Stores Destroyed.
Reports from the front several
days ago said the Japanese were
massing large numbers Of troops so
miles north of Waw in apparent
preparation for such a maneuver.
(Advices from Rangoon via
| London last night indicated
heavy fighting along the lower
Sittang, where a full division of
British troops. supported by
tanks, was reported intrenchedD
Before falling back toward Pegu
British troops were reported off1ci-
ally to have destroyed everything OF
value to the enemy at Waw. This
apparently was reference to mill
tary stores, since Waw itself is only
a small hamlet of frame buildings
and native huts.
1t was believed here that the jap
anese would fan out from Waw, with
one colume striking southwark
| IOWdfQ Ttdi4SOeal SAllO dliOIliSi tardd
ing west In an effort to cut the rail
line running northwest from the
capital through Tharrawaddy to
cholera plagued Prone and the Ir-
rawaddy oil fields.
May Force Withdrawal.
Such a maneuver might compel
the British forces in Southern Burma
/ to withdraw northward to avoid be-
ing cut of, abandoning Rangoon and
| the surrounding territory.
There was no indication that vet
eran Chinese troops, who have been
guarding the Burma Thai frontier in
the north. have yet seen action IN
the main battle for Rangoon.
Rangoon. once-teeming entry port
for war supplies headed for China by
the Burma road, but now virtually
deserted, was reported quiet, but
army headquarters acknowledged
there has been some lawlessness
especially against defenseless In
| dianS."
Unofficially. reports said racia
violence in the Rangoon delta region
| had been widespread since the with
drawal of most Of the police. and
many Indian homes were said to
have been burned.