JAP-SINO WAR

Hokitika Guardian, 23 February 1932, Page 6

JAP-SINO WAR

ATTACK CONTINUES. VARIOUS REPORTS. (United Press Association, —By Electruj Telegraph.—Copyright. | (Received this clay at 10.15 a.m.) | SHANGHAI, February 22. Fighting continues on three fronts, bursts of machine-gun fire coming from the still smoking ruins of Woosung village, but the marked absence of artillery fire, and the absence of the cruiser Yubari and seven at Woosung is largely responsible for the lull in heavy shelling. It is reported that these vessels departed for Saddle Island at the mouth of the Yangtse, for the purpose of,convoying transports which are bringing two additional Divisions, which have been anchored in lee of the islands for some days. Several planes flew over the Chinese lines and dropped a few bombs on a stream of Japanese wagons carrying ammunition, and infantry moving north to strengthen the lines beyond Kiangwan. These troops were needed, following a desperate counter attack made in the early morning by Cantonese, the Japanese barely holding the lines. Japanese howitzer batteries were brought into action and opened a heavy bombardment on the Chinese lines, continuing for upwards of an hour. It is reported that the Chinese are retreating, but the Japanese are not following. Everywhere, the smoking ruins of Chinese hamlets and small villages indicated the progress of the Japanese advance. j Chinese dead are scattered over the racecourse, in the neighbourhood. The majority were killed when the Japanese captured this important spot on Saturday. ! Chinese forces stationed on the Chapei front opened an- intensive bombard- ! ment on Hongkow Park, in the direct- I ion of a naval landing party headquarters, shells falling over a wide area of I the northern district. Three shells struck the Victoria Nursing Home, re- I centlv vacated, others dropping near . Hongkow nolice station, where five 1 Japanese children were serious injured and two adults were killed. i Numerous fires were started north of Szechuen Road, where Chinese explos- i ives played havoc on many deserted i foreign-owned dwellings. Tf is estimat- , ed that sixty shells fell around a Jap- j anese school occupied by infantry, five j striking the, building, and inflicting ai number of injuries. Two Japanese 1 bluejackets and three infantrymen were killed. A Japanese howitzer battery is returning the fire with devastating effect, though the battle mainly centres on the Kiangwan front. CHINESE CRACK TROOPS !

PARTICIPATE IX ATTACK. A. FIERCE BATTLE. ■Rereiver] this day at 1.5 p.rn.) CHANG HA I, Feb. 22. It is now definitely ascertained that the 88th Chinese Division ot‘ troops, consisting of Cliinng Kai Shek’s National •Guards, and regarded a s the nation's crack troops, participated in a heavy counter-attack along the Kiangwan front yesterday. Chinese prisoners were identified as members of thw division. Last night there was ’the fiercest engagement at Chapei since the Japanese first launched their offensive. ' The Chinese threw their whole weight against the Japanese, and a bloody battle ensued. The Japanese were forced to give ground, and only succeeded in checking the Chinese just outside of the Settlement boundaries.

Field guns, howitzers and trench mortars bombarded the Japanese lines incessantly, while- Japanese naval gunners re plied short tor shot. The battle raged for four hours in the darkness, during which the Japanese lines wavered and fell back, but returned to the attack, as /the artillery took 'heavy toll of the Chinese attackers. Several fires started from the Chinese bombardment. Firemen were unable to check them owing to *-ue shelling. Ft is reported officially that three hundred Japanese were killed yesterday, bringing the total to over a thousand since the fighting commenced.

The, 'Chinese casualties are not ascertained, but several thousand have undoubtedly been killed or wounded, since there are over twenty-live hundred wounded in the various hospitals.