EARTHQUAKE IN DARWIN

Press, Volume LXXXVI, Issue 26261, 4 November 1950, Page 7

EARTHQUAKE IN DARWIN

®*- 10 p.m.) DARWIN, Nov. 3. most severe earth tremors on S® record shook Darwin from early .S?*«?° rnin S, rocking wooden houses supporting piles. No cmSt are reported, but several conJ"* walls are cracked and some are without electric power. kJ” centre of the disturbance ite» r™ Placed as somewhere in the ■*°aa Sea near Timor. 1

The enemy also blew whistles and sounded bugles before attacking. Meanwhile, apart from this new development a largg-scale battle appears imminent in the Unsan area where the North Korean and Chinese Communists yesterday. inflicted a stunning reversal on the Americans and South Koreans. Both sides are rushing reinforcements to the area.

American commanders to-day reshuffled their battle lines across North Korea and withdrew advanced units which appeared in danger ot encirclement

Some units of the 24th Division which had pushed within 15 miles of the Manchurian border pulled back 50 miles to near Chongju on the main Pyongyang-Sinanju-Antung hfghway. The American 2nd Division which had been in reserve sii.ee the end of the Seoul fighting was thrown into the line along the Chongchon river running north-east from Sinanju. The division’s troops took up po>tions on the south bank of the river to head off any Communist drive across the river, but reports do not state whether they engaged the enemy fore. l driving from Huichon towards Kunuri, An American Ist Corps spokesman said that about 500 of the 1000 men of the Ist Cavalry Division who had been trapped in the Unsan area had filtered through the Communist lines and rejoined the American forces.

They abandoned all their heavy equipment and vehicles. A spokesman said that the situation in the Unsan area was "not as go d as we would like it to be.” General MacArthur’s spokesman said to-day that the overall picture on the Unsan front was "not at present critical.”

He added: “It is a major battle which I think can be taken care oi.” American fighters and bombers blurted Communist troops in the Unsan sector for the second successive day. Woods on surrounding hills have been set afire by the battle and drift ing clouds of smoke are hampering pilots in their efforts to identify ground targets.

The United States 7th Marihe Regiment this morning launched an attack against the Chinese Communist force defending the strategic Changjin reservoir, but a Communist encircling movement caused the Marines to pull up sharply shortly after the attack started.

A briefing officer identified the enemy as Chinese Communists A front-Jine radio report to divisi m headquarters told of an encirciin t move on the Marines’ east and west flanks.

The regiment had jumped fron. Sudong. 20 miles south of the Chantjin reservoir, after Marine patrols probed the area lost night and returned with three Chinese Commui ist prisoners.

Air observers reported to-day "considerable enemy movement in the Yala river area towards Korea.” Correspondents believe this to mem Chinese activity in Manchuria.