SUCHOW LOST

Wairarapa Times-Age, 23 May 1938, Page 7

SUCHOW LOST

EVACUATED BY CHINESE MAIN BODY JAPANESE CLAIM CAPTURE OF MATERIAL THIRTY DIVISIONS RETREATING By Telegraph.—Press Association, Copyright. HANKOW, May 21. The main body of Chinese forces has evacuated Suchow. According to a Shanghai ■ message Japanese claim to have captured 1500 railway carriages and thirty engines at Suchow. They have begun mopping up 30 Chinese divisions which are retreating. British, French and American Consuls have made representations to Japan with a view to the reopening ot the Yangtse for navigation. The Chinese have captured Kinsian and checked the Japanese drive on Kweiteh. TRAP FAILS CHINESE MAKING ORDERLY RETREAT. ESCAPE OF SEVERAL COLUMNS ADMITTED. (Recd This Day, 9.55 a.m.) SHANGHAI, May 22. Evidence is accumulating that Japanese, owing to the efficiency of their opponents’ rearguard action, have completely failed to entrap the Chinese at Suchow. The Japanese admit that several Chinese columns broke through the cordon and crossed the TientsinPukow railway and it is anticipated that the remainder will be able to do likewise. PURSUIT HALTED ALONG LUNG HAI RAILWAY. ACCORDING TO CHINESE REPORT. (Recd This Day, 9.55 a.m.) HANKOW, May 22. The Chinese claim that they have captured Laihuang and halted the Japanese along the Lung Hai railway. REPORT TO CONSUL PLAN FOR PROTRACTED WAR. CONFIDENCE OF ULTIMATE VICTORY. By Telegraph—Press Association. WELLINGTON, This Day. The following cable has been received by the Chinese Consul from Hankow: —“In order to prevent an unnecessary sacrifice, our troops, which have been fighting the enemy at Suchow and in its vicinity for over four months, were ordered to withdraw from the city on the night of May 19 and to take up suitable positions for continuing the fight. This step is to preserve our armies intact in order to carry out our plan for a protracted war of resistance, so that ultimate victory may be attained.”