Northern Chinese Drive Southward

Sun (Auckland), Volume 1, Issue 105, 25 July 1927, Page 1

Northern Chinese Drive Southward

armistice scorned nationalists lose heavily gy Cable. —Pros Association.—Copyright Reed. 9-55 a.m. SHANGHAI, Sunday. The Northerners are continuing to drive southwards. The Cantonese are scarcely resisting. They have lost three armoured cars and 3,500 prisoners. It is reported that Hsu-Chow-Fu was captured this morning. Notwithstanding persistent reports ot an armistice between the Chinese Conservative Nationalist forces under •Marshal Chiang Kai-shek and the Northern arr'es, dispatches from Japanese sourc l in the Shantung province refer to continued fighting. These messages say a crushing defeat was inflicted upon the Nationalists by the Northern forces under the command of Marshal Chang Tsung-chang, military governor of Shantung, and General Sun Chuan-fang, the original defender of Shanghai. This v ! "tory is said to have resulted in the l I Loration of the Northerners' domination of the Shantung province. The reports state that the Nationalists were routed in successive battles, losing thousands of men killed or taken prisoner. They are now engaged in a desperate losing struggle to retain Suchow, which is the most important strategic point in the province. It is believed, however, that the Northerners are certain to capture that town. It is thought that the Northerners ignored the armistice and seized the opportunity to attack the Nationalists when they were weakened as a result of the withdrawal of a large number of troops for the defence of Nanking from an impending attack by the Hankow (Red) armies. The first withdrawals of British troops from Shanghai were made today, when the Gloucester and Durham Regiments departed for India.—A. and N.Z.