JAP. TANKS IN DRIVE ON SHANGHAI FRONT.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVIII, Issue 236, 5 October 1937, Page 7

JAP. TANKS IN DRIVE ON SHANGHAI FRONT.

HEROIC RESISTANCE.

Vivid Picture of Desperate

Struggles.

HEAVY ARTILLERY BARRAGES,

United Tress Association.—Copyright,

(Received 11.30 n.m.) LONDON, October 4

A message from Tokyo claims that the .Japanese, attacking the Chinese Jines at Shanghai, penetrated within two jiiul a half miles of Kiating, the Chinese headquarters. Japanese tanks renewed the thrust towards the North Station. The Chinese, aided by a quantity of new artillery, are strongly resisting.

The special correspondent of the "Daily Telegraph" at Shanghai, M». Pembroke Stephens, cabling from Litihang, states that after a truly heroic resistance against overwhelming artillery and aerial bombardment, the buttered Chinese, who lacked aeroplanes, and had a minimum of artillery, admit that they retreated for 1000 yards on a live mile front, losing part of the Khaiighai-Liiiho road, 11 milea northwest of Shanghai.

The Japanese admit very . heavy losses. The tragedy of this battle is that the Chinese patrols discovered too lute, thnt the Japanese had deserted th 'ir lines in the Kiangwan sector in order to throw every man into the Liuhang attack.

"I have witnessed much in this fiveday battle," states the correspondent. "I have watched the Chinese retreat from thoir main defences, although lighting gamely. The continuous hammering and ceaseless infantry attacks have worn down their original cheerful

coinage. Chinese Steadfast Under Fire. "I have never seen such steadfastness under fire as that of the Chinese, or such suffering as the plight of the wounded, reeling from the broken front with their wounds uiibandaged, as there are no first aid stations and no hope of transport until night-time, owing to the Japanese aerial domination.

"Ghastly figures tottered from the ruins of cottages and from the fields and hedges crying for help, and surrounded my car, in which I packed the worst cases. When I started others endeavoured to cling to the sides or limped pleadingly behind. I made a tour of the crowded hospitals of {Shanghai before I was able to dispose of these wounded men."

Unceasing Rain of Shells. For 36 hours the Japanese unceasingly rained giant shells on the Chinese positions at Kiangwan, north of Shanghai, covering repeated thrusts by a dozen mechanised detachments designed to disintegrate the Chinese defences. Each thrust was preceded by a creeping barrage directed by aircraft, which also are bombing and machine-gunning the defenders. Forty warplanes swooped down and machine-gunned the Kiangwan-Tazang highway, while nine bombed Kiangwan, and 12 others assaulted the Chinese rear.

Nevertheless the Chinese continued a desperate resistance, falling back from the Lotien highway to the new line of fortifications studded with concrete pill-boxes.

The Japanese admit that the withdrawal was orderly, although the Chinese abandoned a quantity of material.

It is claimed by the Japanese that they advanced two and a half miles at the week-end. They are now facing a well-fortified line from Kiating to Xanhsiang, situated behind a network of marshes and creeks.

The Japanese have begun a bombardment of Shenchiache and Kwansuchen, westward of Liuhang.

FIGHT EPIDEMICS.

LEAGUE'S £100,000 GRANT. (Received 10.30 a.m.) GENEVA, October 4. The League has donated the sum of £100,000 for fighting epidemics in China.