CHINESE THWART JUNCTION OF JAPANESE FORCES

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 203, 13 September 1937, Page 7

CHINESE THWART JUNCTION OF JAPANESE FORCES

Terrific Artillery Fire Still Rocking Shanghai CHOLERA OUTBREAK AMONG TROOPS (Received 13, 8.45 a.m.) SHANGHAI, Sept. 12. The Japanese, using tanks, to-day captured Yanching, in the Woosung sector, and. are now dbnsojidating their position. The Chinese to-day carried out a fierce attack on Japanese bluejackets, and Shanghai was rocked by terrific artillery fire. The Japanese attempted, in an air-raid, to blow up the historic Langhua pagoda, which was built in 250 A.D.i but they failed. All they did was to shake down 500 Buddhas inside from their niches. The bombs, however, destroyed 40 neighbourjng houses, The invaders are still struggling to effect a junction of the forces at Shanghai and Woosung. Despite a week's continuous infantry attacks, supported by artillery fire, a mile and a-half of the west bank of the Whangpoo separates the two principal Japanese forces owing to the unforeseen staying power of the Chineae, who, tbough bombed from the air and bombarded from the river, still remain sandwlched with deadly effect between the Japanese detachjnents, which hoped to surround aned overwhelm them. The Japanese, until the Shajighai-Woosung junction is effeoted, cannot develop a mass attack. The warfare is relentless on both sldes. Wounded are being slaughtqred. The Japanese are allegedly shooting Chinese Red Cross members. ^ A message from Tokio states that a general pffensivc against Chinese positions at Machang was resumed at dawn, accompanied by the air bombing of Tsinghsien and lieavy gunfire upon Uuho, which is claimed to have been reduced to ruins. The Japanese claim to have captured Machang. They state that the Chinese are retreating southwarcls in confusion. Apart from the fact that the Eighth Route Army has not yet been encountered in force, defeated Chinese habitually become bandits, for which reason a Japanese victory may leave in its rear seething guerilla bands which will be difficult ot exterminate. The Japanese announce that there are 300 cases of cholera among Japanese troops at Paoshan.