POSITION ABANDONED

Evening Star, Issue 22794, 1 November 1937, Page 9

POSITION ABANDONED

CHINESE “SUICIDE BATTALION" REFUGE TAKEN IN BRITISH POST SEVERAL KILLED DURING EVACUATION Press Association—By Telegraph—Copyright SHANGHAI, October 30. ' Acting on orders from General Chiang Kai-shek, who realised that the defence would not fulfil any military purpose, the remnant of the “ suicide battalion ” abandoned the warehouse before dawn. The defenders ran the gauntlet of enemy machine guns, with searchlights dribbling across- 20yds of bullet-swept road. They entered a British post, where they laid down their arms. They were warmly shaken by the hand and cheered. The evacuation occupied three hours, in which 377 dashed over to safety. Six were killed and 20 wounded. Welsh Fusiliers assisted and gave first aid to tho wounded. The Japanese have since occupied tho warehouse. 377 ESCAPE ALIVE SHANGHAI, October 31. (Received November 1, at 1 p.m.) It is officially stated that two were killed and 24 wounded when the doomed battalion dashed to safety. Three hundred and seventy-seven of tho original 500 escaped alive and are interned in the western district under a British guard. FIGHTING DIES DOWN BAD WEATHER HINDERING OPERATIONS. SHANGHAI, October 31. Furious fighting on the borders of the International Settlement has died down because of bad weather. The Chinese continue to hold their .lines. Rain has reduced flying to a minimum. The Japanese called on the British Consul-general and expressed regret at the casualties among British soldiers but did not admit responsibility. MEDICAL SUPPLIES CONSIGNMENT FROM LONDON. LONDON, October 30. The first consignment of medicines and drugs, costing £B,OOO, was to-day ordered by the Medical Supplies Committee of the Lord Mayor’s Fund for relief of distress in China. It will be sent to China next week and be followed immediately by dressings, surgical instruments, and prophylactic sera and vaccines. The sera and vaccines ■wiU probably be despatched. by air. IN THE NORTH . JAPANESE AIM AT DECISIVE VICTORY. TIENTSIN, October 30. The Japanese are rushing troops to North China in an effort to win a decisive victory before the Brussels conference. The new puppet Inner Mongolian Republic is stated to be working smoothly under Japanese protection. INNER MONGOLIA NEW AUTONOMOUS STATE. LONDON, October 29. Kweihua. the former capital - of Suiyuan, is now the capital of the new autonomous State of Inner Mongolia, embodying Chahar and Suiyuan, created under Japanese auspices. It will be rechristened Hohogoto. The chief executive will be Prince Yeh, aged 72. HOSTILITY TO BRITAIN ACCUSATIONS BY ORGANISATION. TOKIO, October 30. “ The Council on Current Affairs,” an unofficial body consisting of industrialists and members of the Lower House, passed a resolution appealing for ’ a national movement to sever diplomatic relations with Britain, whom the manifesto accuses of failing to observe neutrality and openly pursuing an Arrogant and insulting attitude to Japan, consistently assisting China, and inspiring the Brussels Conference. The movement is seeking to make articulate the undercurrent of hostility recently apparent. A JAPANESE COMPLAINT SHANGHAI, October 30. The Japanese naval authorities protested against the British troops forcibly boarding Japanese launches on Soochow Creek. Eye-witnesses assert that the British did not hoard. BRITISH ADMIRAL’S REPLY LONDON, October 30. It has been confirmed, with reference to the Soochow Creek incident, that the Japanese complained that a British soldier touched a Japanese machine run, thus “ insulting the Imperial Jap-

anese Navy,” Admiral Sir Charles Little replied courteously but firmly, emphasising that tho Japanese had no right to proceed up the creek through the British defence. MISDIRECTED SHELLS CASUALTIES AMONG BRITISH TROOPS. SHANGHAI, October 30. An eye-witness, describing the deaths of Ulster Riflemen Howard, Mallon, and O’Toole, and the wounding of Riflemen Delaney, Maguire, and Downey, says the shell burst over a post close to Soochow Creek, where Mallon and Howard stood. Shrapnel struck Mallon in the back, killing him instantly. Howard was struck on the chest and died soon afterwards. Maguire may lose his leg. Delaney was badly wounded in the tbigh. Rifleman Tomlinson was taken to hospital with shell shook. O’Toole, who was off duty, was killed inside a cafe, where a misdirected shell blew in the shop front and killed two Chinese on the pavement. O’Toole’s face was so disfigured that it was not known for some time who he was. A barmaid was wounded in the face and fled screaming from the cafe. The casualties were due to a Japanese battery three-quarters of a mile distant opening fire with tho idea of shelling the Shanghad-Hangchow railway. Fifty shells fell wide, many 500yds within the British area, and one directly on a British post, reducing it to a shambles. The Japanese ceased shelling when apprised of the casualties. JAPANESE HELD RESPONSIBLE. SHANGHAI, October 30. Ulster Riflemen Delaney and Maquire died of injuries. British military officials investigated the tragedy and found that the shell had been fired by the Japanese, whereupon they advised the Japanese that they would be held responsible. BOYCOTT DF JAPAHESE GOODS SYDNEY, October 31. The Council of Trades Unions hastens to declare that direct action by labour bodies against Japanese ships is not contemplated. Trade unionists’ families will be asked to refrain from purchasing Japanese goods. NINE-POWER CONFERENCE RUSSIA TO ATTEND. BRUSSELS, October 30. Russia will attend the Nine-Power Conference. JAPAHESE GROSS SOOCHOW CREEK ' SHANGHAI, October 31. (Received November 1, at 10 a.m.) The Japanese crossed Soochow Creek at a jjoint three miles west of the defence perimeter. British.' military authorities - say the Jessfield road posts will not be abandoned. MORE ULSTER RIFLEMEN WOUNDED , SHANGHAI, October 31. (Received November 1, at 10 a.m.) During a heavy Japanese bombardment three more . Ulster riflemen— Lance-corporal Dowey and Riflemen Leckie and Anderson—were wounded by a shell from a trench mortar which struck the Jessfield road barracks. JAPANESE DISCOVERIES SHANGHAI, October 31. (Received November 1, at 10 a.m.) A Japanese naval communique says: “ A hundred Chinese corpses were found in the warehouse occupied by the doomed battalion. It adds that an abundance of fresh food was also found. The landing party cannot suppress its feeling of displeasure at the presence of provisions which must have been smuggled through the British defences.” JOURNALISTS’ EXPERIENCES SHANGHAI, October 31. (Received November 1, at 10 a.m.) A journalist, Air W. Farmer, of the ‘ North China Daily News,’ formerly of a Western Australian newspaper, together with the news editor, Mr A. P. Finch, went on a roof early in the morning to watch Japanese attack on the Chinese suicide battalion. A shell roared overhead and fell into the Whangpoo. A second hit the Chartered Bank next door, then both were blown off their feet by the explosion of another shell which hit the building. They remained recumbent while two others hit, after which they went below. Mr Farmer was not hurt, but Air Finch was slightly wounded.