CHINESE DIVISIONS TRAPPED

Dominion, Volume 31, Issue 162, 5 April 1938, Page 11

CHINESE DIVISIONS TRAPPED

Claim By Japanese MOBILE DETACHMENTS CUT OFF RETREAT By Telegraph.—Press Assn.—Copyright. (Received April 4, 11.35 p.m.) London, April 4. The Peking correspondent of the "Daily Telegraph” reports that a Japanese staff officer declares that, despite the sweeping claims by the Chinese of victory along the Tientsin-Pukow railway, the Japanese at present have seven Chinese divisions trapped between two columns, while Japanese mobile detachments have cut off the Chinese retreat.

Hankow reports that General Li Tsung-jen’s crack troops claim to have taken complete possession of Taierchwang, north of Suchow, following up bayonet and hand-grenade charges by setitng tire to buildings with kerosene. They claim to be driving the Japanese to retreat to Hsianchen.

The Chinese crossed the Cirand Canal and captured Hanchwang, on the Shantung-Kiangsu border. The majority of the Japanese in Yihsien are retreating south-west to Lanling.

REPORT FROM HANKOW

Japanese At Taierchwang Annihilated ’ The following cablegram was received by the Chinese Consul in Wellington from Hankow yesterday:— ‘The enemy force which we surrounded at Taierchwang was completely annihilated. “Yesterday, our troops recaptured for the second time Kaiho and Liangshiatien, the two railway stations north of Tungshien. We split the enemy forces into several sections at Tsaochwang and Yihsien, and are now surrounding and attacking each section separately. ' “During March we destroyed 35 enemy planes, and picked up the dead bodies of 37 Japanese airmen within our lines and captured two airmen. “Our mechanised units have joined in the fighting in the front line in the' south of Shantung, and have proved very effective. We still maintain the upper hand in fighting in the northern sector of the Tsinpu railway.”

BEHAVIOUR OF POLICE

British Protest Rejected Shanghai, April 3. Accusing Brigadier Telfer-Smollett, commander of the British troops at Shanghai, of discourtesy, prejudice and unfriendliness, the Japanese military authorities have rejected the British protest against, the recent behaviotir of the military police in continuing to threaten officers and sentries with firearms in the British defence sector.