FLEEING ENEMY

Auckland Star, Volume LXXIV, Issue 294, 11 December 1943, Page 5

FLEEING ENEMY

CHINESE IN PURSUIT Japs. Driven Back 13 Miles In Changteh Sector X.Z. Press Association—Copyright Rec. 1.36. CHUNGKING, Dec. 10.

Chinese troops, pursuing fleeing enemy units north-east of Changteh, advanced 13 miles, says a Chinese communique. Enemy hordes lurking north-west of Changteh are also being rounded up. Several hundreds have been killed and many others captured. Chinese units advancing towards Ansiang, near Tungting Lake, have made considerable progress.

The Japanese employed 150,000 troops, the full strength of their 11th Army, under Lieutenant-General Yokoyama in the rice bowl battle, of which 15,000 were killed aad 25,000 wounded at Changteh, declared the Chinese Army spokesman, Major-General Tseng. He added that the Chinese, strongly reinforced, were at present pressing a general counter-offensive from which important developments are expected within 48 hours.

Bitter Fighting Reported

Sizable forces are fighting bitterly north-west of Changteh, also along the front of 120 miles to the Yangtse. General Tseng said that all the Japanese south of Yuan River had been driven back. He praised the splendid co-operation of the American and Chinese airmen.

General Stilwell's communique states that Mitchells bombed the Japanese-held positions at Changteh on Wednesday. All bombs fell on the target area. Another mission bombed Hofu, a small town in the Changteh area. Tokyo radio said American planes twice attacked Hankow and Wuchang last night. The spokesman at Japanese Headquarters in China declared that the Americans had received orders to bomb the Japanese mainland, also communications between Japan and the mainland. The Japanese were preparing an encounter for the enemy Air Force. The spokesman added that the Chinese situation was more confused and serious, and therefore was receiving greater attention.