FIERCE CHINESE COUNTER-ATTACK

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 1, Issue 156, 24 February 1932, Page 5

FIERCE CHINESE COUNTER-ATTACK

1 mess. Assn.-

japanese retire most determined . battle since hostilities commenced MAIN FORCES ENGAGED

— By T elegraph — Copyright) .

Rec. Feb. 23, 10 p.m. Fightjng of the fiercest descrlption developed on the Chapei front when the Ghinese ihrew their main forces into jction in a counter-attack 011 the Japanese positions. The Japanese were forced to give ground jni retired to the houndaries of thfe International Settlement at Jlianghai hefore their artillery succeeded in checking the Chjnese. Finally the Chinese attack was repulsed and the Japanese resiimed the offensive, homhing an jerodrome and a penzine store 8nd settjng buildings on fire. Reviewing the events at ShangJiai in the House of Commons, Sir Joiin Simon, Foreign Secretary, arid Mr. Neville Chamberlain, Chancellor of the Exchequer, /avoured sppporting the League 0( Natiotts in its efforts for peace and pointed out the uatfisdom of showing favour to either side at the present stage. SHANGHAI, Tuesday. Last night witnessed the fiercest £;gap:ement in the Chapei area since :;e Japanese first launched their of- ' fensive. ^ ' The Chinese threw their whole seiglit against the Japanese and a gcguinary battle ensued. Ihe Japanese were forced to give ] jaimd and only succeeded in check--sthe Chinese just outside the Set- 1

jiaent houndaries. Field guns, howitzers and trench girfars hombarded the Japanese lines •:f?=antly, while the Japanese naval jiners replied shot for shot. Ihe battle waged for four hours j the darkness, during which the tpanese lines wavered and fell back, Jreturned to the attack as the arjry took a heavy toll of the Chin3 attackers. ! is reported officially that 300 ijanese were killed ifesterday, ridna: their total to over 1,000 :?e fiffhting commenced. Ihe Chinese casualties are not as•Sained, but several thousand have. sn undouhtedly killed and woundi since over 2,500 wounded are in fous hospitals. 1 has now been definitely asceriitdthat the 88th Division of Chin- ? froops, consisting of Marshal 'riang Kai-Shek's National Guards, -srded as the nation's crack troops, zfeinated in the heavy counter-at-jialons- the Kiangwan front yesfav. Chinese prisoners have been rtifiofl as members of this division. At 10 o'clock » this niorning the Ltanese completely destroyed the ?bo aerodrome, five niiles west lanahni, and also set fire to large i-esyf gasolene, all the buildings TPsent being in flames. Ck'nese 'planes have been harass2 the Japanese 'planes.