JAPANESE IN SHANSI

Evening Star, Issue 22798, 5 November 1937, Page 9

JAPANESE IN SHANSI

CAPTURE OF SINKOW AND SINGHOW - DEATH BAND'S " TUNNELLING FEAT TOKIO CLAIMS BIG REPULSE OF CHINESE Press Association —By Telegraph—Copyright TOKIO, November 4. (Received November 5, at 8 a.m.) The Japanese in Shansi have captured Sinkow 55 miles north of Taiyuan, later taking Sinchow, 40 miles nearer.. A Japanese “ death band ” tunneled under the Chinese main positions, blew them up at midnight, and then machine-gunned them. The ‘ Asahi ’ claims that the Chinese left 30,000 dead and that 200,000 are retreating to Taiyuan. WITHIN TWELVE MILES OF TAIYUAN PEKING, November 4. (Received November 5, at 10 a.m.) The Japanese cavalry advance guards are within 12 miles of Taiyuan. A JAPANESE WARNING SHANGHAI, November 4. A warning that the Japanese will shoot down any aeroplanes flying over their lines, regardless of markings, was issued by Japanese authorities as a sequel to a reported flight by two monoplanes with British markings over north-west Shanghai. The British suggest that the monoplanes were camouflaged by the Chinese. The Japanese celebrated the birth of Meiji with a salute of 10 guns, but the guns were pointed at the Chinese and the shells were alive. ATTEMPT TO ENCIRCLE SHANGHAI ARTILLERY HAMMERING CHINESE LINES. SHANGHAI, November 4. (Received November 5, at 1.40 p.m.) Forty-two warships, including four aircraft carriers, the largest naval squadron to assemble here since the start of hostilities, is concentrated in the Whangpoo River, This foreshadows an attempt by the Japanese to land troops at Pootung, opposite the International Settlement, in an attempt to encircle the city. Bombers and artillery, as a preliminary, are hammering the Chinese lines on the western outskirts. Others are bombing and’ machine'gufaning the Pootung positions. This afternoon 40 planes systematically bombed the western gar,den suburb, adjacent to the creek. The Japanese claim to have occupied four to six miles of the south bank of the Soochow Creek, to a depth of half a mile. The low banks are exposing the troops to a heavy Chinese fire.