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HEAVY RAID ON
RANGOON
Japanese Lose Ten Planets
LONDON, Dec. 24.—AAP
A communique issued in Rangoon
announces .that a large force of
Japanese planes raided that city
yesterday British and American
fighters were dispatched to inter
cept . the Japanese bombers of
which there were between 50 and
60. They were escorted by fighters.
The raiders approached Rangoon
trom the south and east The
fighters caught them lust before
they reached the city. The Japa
nese planes broke formation, but a
number reached their objectives,
which apparently were Mingaladon
and the docks The first-named
sustained slight damage, a block of
buildings being hit and a small
quantity of fuel being destroyed
The RAF sustained some casual
ties to the ground staff
Brilliant work by the British
fighters resulted in the destruction
of nine enemy bombers and one
fighter, with several other ?ma
chines so damaged that it is un
likely that they reached their base.
Our fighters again attacked the
enemy planes on their return
flight, inflicting further loss. Three
of our planes were lost, but a pilot
who escaped by parachute and was
then machine-gunned by tbe
enemy, is sale. Local anti-aircraft
gunners did well undei theii first
l baptism of fire.
While on patrol, adds the com
munique, our troops engaged Japa
nase forces near the village of
Messiai. in Burma, and shot up
the enemy without casualty.
Tokio radio says that Japanese
planes mass raided Rangoon and
intensely bombed the aerodrome,
hangars, wharfs, railways station.
Government offices and barracks
Fifteen British fighters were en
countered, the radio says, of which
several were shot down A num
ber on the ground were also de
stroyed All Japanese planes, it is
claimed, returned after witnessing
the destruction of part of the city
Tokio radio also says that Mar
shal Chiang Kai-shek is sending
a strong Chinese army from Yun
nan to Burma, in order to streng
then the British defences The
?radio adds that Burma will prob
ably be the next Far Eastern battle
field.
CHUNGKING. Decembei li— A
Government spokesman at Kun
ming said that American volun
teer pilots this week had destroyed
four heavy Japanese bombers with
out suffering a scratch thereby
saving hundreds of lives in Kun
minr?
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