CHINESE VICTORY

Wairarapa Times-Age, 17 May 1938, Page 7

CHINESE VICTORY

AT LEAST TEMPORARY CHECK TO ENEMY DRIVE SEVERAL TOWNS TAKEN. JAPANESE COMMUNICATIONS THREATENED. By Telegraph— Press Association. Copyright, LONDON, May 16. The Chinese victory in Northern Anhwei has at least .temporarily checked the Japanese drive in the Lunghai area, says the Hong Kong correspondent of the “Daily Telegraph.” The Chinese drove their opponents from Siaohsien and Yungcheng, threatening the Japanese lines of communication, thus indicating that Japanese assertions that their northern and southern armies have effected a junction are presumtive.

SEVERE FIGHTING CHINESE OFFICIAL REPORT. The following cablegram was received by the Chinese Consul in Wellington from Hankow yesterday:— “The number of enemy troops concentrated in the various fronts in the south and west of Shantung and on the north of the Hwai River is about ,13 divisions, totalling over 300,000. Their object is to get astride the Lunghai railway and capture Suchow. “The enemy marching north from Men Mencheng in the north of Anhwei Province has been checked at Yungchen. The fighting there has been most severe. During the last two days the city changed hands twice. We are continuing to attack the enemy in the vicinity of Mencheng, and there is severe fighting in the south-west of Souhsien. During the last six days the enemy sustained 5000 casualties in the various sectors north of the Hwai River.

“In the west of Shantung the enemy, in several columns, marched south from Tsining, Kiashiang and Yunchen. In excellent morale, and .with great bravery, our troops offered most stubborn resistance and held Chuyeh, Kingshiang and Yutai in spite of fierce enemy attacks.

“The enemy planes during the last few days bombed various cities in the rear and inflicted heavy casualties on the populace. The American mission in Souhsien, the Catholic mission in Suchow, the Sino-American hospital and the Italian Catholic mission iri Chengchow were all destroyed.”