DOUBLE THRUST

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 20900, 28 September 1942, Page 3

DOUBLE THRUST

CHINES ENFORCES JAPANESE BY-PASSED STRUGGLE FOR KINHWA (By Telegraph—Press Assn.—Copyright.) (10.30 a.m.) LONDON, Sept. 27. The Chinese forces, in a twopronged drive from Chungkiang, bypassed the . Japanese positions of the Chekiang province and reached Chuki, 40 miles south of Angchow, and have laid siege to Chenghsien. The Japanese garrison at Kinwha is busy shipping loot out of the city, indicating their intention to abandon the place. Chinese forces, attacking the outskirts of Tungyang, 40 miles north-, east of Kinhwa, capital of Chekiang province, captured several Japanese positions. In a two-day battle at Chekao, in central Anhwei province, 1000 Japanese, strongly supported by tanks, suffiered 300 casualties and the Japanese were .forced to Chaosliien after bitter fighting. . One of the bloodiest chapters in the China war is being written by guerrillas in north China. The Chinese military spokesman said that in the northern provinces the Japanese had lost thousands killed and at least 85,000 captured during last year. Local populations aided the '’guerrillas by joining in many lightning attacks on Japanese communications and garrisons. American Air Raids A communique issued from MajorGeneral Stilwell’s Headquarters states that American bombers attacked enemy targets in Yunan, in French Indo-China. On Wednesday, 40 enemy planes were attacked southwest of Yunan. Next day the Japanese aerodrome near Hanoi was attacked. A large enemy force attempted to intercept. Three enemy planes were destroyed and two probably destroyed and several others damaged. All .the American planes returned safely. Chinese sources in London say that there have been no changes of importance in the battle for Kinhwa during the past week. The most significant development is indicated by the renewed reports ol fighting round Tungyang, some 30 miles north-east of Kinhwa and so placed as to threaten the garrison’s supply line along the ChekiangKiangsi railway. This activity appears to be an intensification of Chinese attempts to cut the railway in this section which had been reported twe weeks earlier. Two Chinese columns are involved in the drive. One, west of the railway, was met by stubborn resistance in the Pukiang area after successfully pressing well behind the Japanese Kinhwa positions. The other is fighting for the possession of Tungyang, east of the railway. The Chinese forces, which are directly besieging the Japanese fortified positions at Kinhwa and Lanchi, appear temporarily to have halted on a line running roughly from the south bank of the Lan River across the railway at Kugang, six miles south-west of Kinhwa. Encouraging Reports Encouraging reports of Chinese progress in the Chekiang province have reached New Delhi. The Chinese, attacking at several points, have penetrated deep into enemy territory.- They started the attack at Kweiki and Kunghse respectively, 50 and 75 miles north-east of Kinwha. It is also learned that the United States Government is sending United States experts to China to promote technical co-operation between China and the United States. They will work in the field of agriculture, forestry and minerals and China has expressed gratitude for this help.