YANGTSE CONFLICT

Wairarapa Times-Age, 1 July 1938, Page 7

YANGTSE CONFLICT

STUBBORN CHINESE DEFENCE AT MATANG IN CRUMBLING MUD-WALLED FORTS. JAPANESE LANDING PARTIES REPELLED. By Telegraph. —Press Association. Copyright. SHANGHAI, June 29. The Chinese holding the Matang forts on the Yangtse River are still clinging to their position, despite the fact that the mud walls are crumbling under a Japanese artillery and naval bombardment. A spokesman claims that the Chinese repulsed Japanese landing parties, shells from big guns making direct hits on steel pontoons packed with troops, while other pontoons were blown up by mines. The following cablegram has been received by the Chinese consul from Hankow: — “The enemy planned to make a speedy capture of Matang. On June 26 they resorted to poisonous gas, causing many casualties among our troops, but the latter fought with great brav- . ery, and are tenaciously holding on to positions in the vicinity of Matang. “For the past few days our planes have continued to bomb the enemy warships on the Yangtse River. Yesterday and today we sank or damaged at least six enemy warships. Yesterday one of our bombing planes was hit by an| eij/bmy plane near Anking. Although the pilot could have landed behind our lines he elected to sell his life dearly, and swooped down on one of the enemy warships, with the result that both warship and bombing plane were smashed to atoms.”