CHINESE VICTORIES

Wairarapa Times-Age, 26 April 1939, Page 5

CHINESE VICTORIES

JAPANESE LINES SAID TO BE CRUMBLING DEVELOPMENTS IN SIX PROVINCES. CHIANG KAI-SHEK HOPING FOR KNOCK-OUT. By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright. LONDON. April 24. Following their victories on the Kiangsi front, the Chinese claim to have reached the western outskirts of Nanchang. After capturing Kioan in a surprise attack, they took possession of Tungshan and put the Japanese to flight toward Nanlingchao, on which the third Chinese column is advancing. The Hong Kong correspondent of the “Daily Telegraph" says that the Japanese lines seem everywhere to be crumbling as the Chinese offensive enters its fifteenth day. General Chiang Kai-Shek appears to be flinging in all his resources in the hope of gaining a krock-out blow in six provinces... Chinese drives threaten the four provincial capitals which are in Japanese hands. The Chinese are intensifying their grip on Nanchang and razing the ruins by shelling at point-blank range. Disregarding their losses on the CantonSengshing highway, they are replacing all casualties with floods of reinforcements.

A message from Swatow states that, during an air raid ovei’ Foochow, the Japanese razed the German warehouse and partly wrecked the American hospital and Customs house. Windows of British property were shattered. SHANGHAI “INCIDENT” DOCTOR KILLED AND WIFE INJURED. BRITISH POLICE OFFICER STRUCK BY JAPANESE. SHANGHAI, April 24. An “incident” occurred here today, following a motor-car accident in the Hongkew district, when Dr Bertram Lillie was killed after a collision with a Japanese motor-bus. The Japanese allege that their bluejackets jumped on the running-board of Dr Lillie’s car, but that he refused to stop. He swerved and collided with the bus injuring his own wife and a British police officer who were passengers. The bluejackets subsequently demanded to see the victims in hospital, but the English superintendent, Mr Couper Patrick refused, explaining that Mrs Lillie was lying on the operating table with both legs broken. An argument followed during which a Japanese officer is reported to have struck Mr A. H. Samson, English Assistant Police Commissioner. The bluejackets were eventually ordered to depart.