BEYOND FOOGHOW

Auckland Star, Volume LXXVI, Issue 118, 21 May 1945, Page 5

BEYOND FOOGHOW

MORE CHINESE GAINS Japanese Drives In Provinces Thwarted N.Z.P.A. and British Wireless Rec. 1 p.m. CHUNGKING, May 20. Although independent reports suggested that Foochow was occupied virtually without bloodshed, a High Command communique reported that the Chinese had received reinforcements on May 16. They launched an attack the next morning and by evening had broken into tne town, completing its occupation by 5 a.m. on May 18. Sources, apart from the High Command, estimated that the Japanese had in the city about 1000 troops, which were pursued eastward for nine miles along the north bank of the Min River to the outskirts of the small estuary of Port Mamoi. The Japanese are reported to have already withdrawn or be in tne process of giving up the entire coastal region around Foochow, taking off in small ships for Shanghai.

Chinese troops, who occupied the treaty port of Foochow pushed six miles beyond and captured the small town of Diongloh, south of the Mm River, which flows into the sea near Foochow. In a second drive east from Foochow Chinese forces reached the vicinity of Naomi, nearly ten miles from the port.

The Chinese yesterday threw the Japanese off two heights in Southern Honan, Central China, and averted a threat of invasion to the Shensi Province, says a Chungking communique. The heights were taken by specially reinforced Japanese troops four days ago. The Chinese killed and wounded 1500 in a bitter struggle. The remainder are now retreating to the east.

West of Paoching, the Japanese supply base in. ttie southei n vince of Hunan, the Chinese made further gains and are mopping -up around Shanmen.