FIERCE STRUGGLE

Wairarapa Times-Age, 27 June 1942, Page 5

FIERCE STRUGGLE

IN PROGRESS IN EASTERN CHINA LAST CHEKIANG AIRFIELD IN JEOPARDY. AMERICAN PLANES IN ACTION. (By Telegraph—Press Association —Copyright) CHUNGKING, June 25. The military spokesman announced that strong Chinese counter-attacks drove back Japanese in east China to Nancheng and the gates of Linchwan. Twenty thousand Japanese troops are closing in on Lishui, and the spearheads have reached the outskirts. The Japanese are launching an all-out assault in an attempt to capture the airfield, which is the last aerodrome the Chinese possess in Chekiang. After the recapture of Kweiki, the Chinese advanced south-westward 40 miles and reoccupied Kinki. Tire spokesman asserted that a Japanese concentration of nearly 400 armoured cars and numerous troops in Inner Mongolia indicates that a new offensive is imminent. The American Volunteer Group or June 22 broke up two attempted aeria 1 attacks and shot down three Japanese fighters in the vicinity of Hengyang Three others are believed to have been destroyed. The Americans also severely damaged a Japanese gunboat or Tungting Lake, in Hunan. A.V.G fighters converted to bombers raided Hankow on Tuesday, and simultaneously Chinese planes struck against Linchwan. These are the first actions of Chinese warplanes in East China. The Associated Press reports that when the Chinese bombers raided Hankow they blew up military establishments and sank a Japanese warship and three river transports and probably damaged others.