Air Bases Won Back By Chinese

Taranaki Daily News, 31 August 1942, Page 3

Air Bases Won Back By Chinese

Successful operations along railway. Rec. 9.10 p.m. Chungking, Aug. 27. The Chinese have recaptured Chuhsien and Lishui and reoccupied great air bases from which Japan could be bombed. The High Command indicated that a similar Japanese withdrawal is progressing in Kwangtung Province, where the Chinese recaptured Suichang and Tuchang. An official review of the three and ahalf months' campaign in Chekiang and Kiangsi discloses that the Japanese suffered 14,000 casualties at Kinhwa and Lanchi, 18,000 at Chuhsien and 8000 at Shangjao. The present situation is as lt was before the Japanese started their drive from Nanchang. Following the capture of Chuhsien and Lishui the Chinese launched a vigorous new offensive 40 miles north of Canton along the Canton-Hankow railway, reports the Central News. The Chinese have already captured Pakong, Kweitouling and Nangchanngau and are pcrsuing the Japanese who are still retreating. The Chinese re-occupation of Lientang, Chuhsien and Tsindien steadily widened the section of the ChekiangKiangsi railway, recovered and also brought the Chinese closer to Wanchang. It is estimated that the Japanese withdrawals in Chekiang and Kiangsi already embrace over 10,000 square miles, which the Japanese have systematically looted. The inhabitants are suffering great hardships. It is believed that the airfields of Chuhsien and Lishui will require several months to repair. The Japanese destroyed all installations. Tokio official radio admitted that the Japanese forces are abandoning the entire field of operations in Chekiang and Kiangsi, "having completely mastered the enemy." American 'bombers on Friday made a third raid on Japanese bases which could be used for an enemy invasion .of Yunnan province. They bombed the Hanoi-Laokia railway and ammunition and fuel dumps in Indo-China- The Americans bombed Haipong on August 28 and Lashio on August 27 in an attempt to break up Japanese concentrations and destroy invasion supplies.