SHELLING OF MATSU

Press, Volume XCIII, Issue 27924, 22 March 1956, Page 13

SHELLING OF MATSU

Chinese Warships On Attack (N.Z. Press Association—Copyright) 'Rec. 10.20 p.m.) TAIPEH (Formosa), March 21. Chinese Communist warships made their first attack on the offshore Matsu Islands last night, but apparently were not intending an invasion, the official Chinese Nationalist Central News Agency said today. The attack, by five large gunboats cn the Chinese Nationalist-held islands, in which the warships fired 114 shells, seemed to be a test of their defences, the report said. Communist artillery on the mainland of China fired 13 shells at Kaoteng, the most vulnerable of the islands, during the naval attack. Kaoteng, only four miles and a hall from the coast, is considered a most likely first target of Communist invasion of the offshore island. The gunboats fled when the Nationalist defence positions returned their fire, the news dispatch said. On Monday night the Communists on Tatenga. a small island between Quemoy and the mainland, fired 45 shells at Quemoy without inflicting damage or casualties.

This was the first shelling in that area since October 3.