HEMMED AT LOYANG

Grey River Argus, 15 May 1944, Page 5

HEMMED AT LOYANG

BIG CHINESE FORCES Situation More Grave ENEMY IN MIENCHIfo [Aus. & N.Z. Press. Assn.] LONDON, May 12. The Japanese have struck another grave blow against the Chinese in North Honan Province. The enemy is driving from his new bridgehead over the Yellow River. Japanese forces have cut the Lunghai railway, about forty miles west of Loyang, thus barring the Chinese line of retreat. This is admitted by the Chinese High Command. North-west of Loyang the city’s lifeline,, the railway and road to Western China, has been cut. American ’planes attacked supply lines, bridges and installations In Burma, Western Yunnan, and French Indo-China causing considerable damage.

Japanese control of the Pekin-Han-kow railway is admitted in a Chinese communique.

(Rec. 10.0) CHUNGKING, May 14. The Chinese hopes of holding Loyang faded rapidly when Japanese troops, using 200 tanks, reached a point two miles from the city, reports the Associated Press correspondent here. The Japanese now appear to be ready to spring a vast trap, threatening several hundred thousand Chinese forces, who are hemmed in by enemy columns from the Mienchin sector and forces from points east and south of Loyang. The importance of this campaign is emphasised by an announcement that General Ckunroku Hata, Commander-in-Chief of the J'apanese Forces in China, has arrived on the Honan front.

A Chinese communique states: Bitter fighting has raged in the south-eastern outer defences of Loyang on Thursday and Friday. The casualties have been heavy on both sides. Enemy 'forces broke, into Mienchin on Friday. Bitter fighting is there proceeding. (Rec. 10.30) CHUNGKING, May 13. Using six hundred tanks and armoured cars, Japanese forces are converging on Loyang from four directions, after cutting the Lunghal railroad west of the city, at three points reports a -United Press correspondent here. A Chinese spokesman said: One hundred . thousand enemy troops are attempting to destroy all of the Chinese v forces in the western Honan province,' to secure their Hold on the Peking-Han-kow railway. One Japanese column has reached a point four miles south of Loyang. Another has driven westward along the Lunghai railway within 19 miles of other units striking from the Tengfang area, thirtyfive miles south-westward. Meanwhile, there is a furious battle raging for-the road junction of Sunghien, 43 miles south-west of Loyang.

The spokesman ascribed the swift Japanese advances to the enemy’s armoured forces, which caught the Chinese by surprise, since they had not been used in that area for a long time. He added that Allied air forces destroyed at least thirty tanks and 190 trucks in the past week. I CHINESE TAKE ISLAND. (Rec. 10.40.) CHUNGKING, Ma v 13. Chinese forces after a five-hour attack, recently recaptured Chinshan jsland, east of which was Fukien, an Important Japanese supply base several years ago One hundred Japanese soldiers were killed. Large quantities of supplies were captured. A CRITICAL SITUATION. (Rec. 10.10) LONDON, May 14. - The situation at Loyang is regarded as critical, states a Chungking message. Japanese forces are now trying to storm the city with two hundred tanks, and bitter fighting is going on in the outskirts of Loyang. Japanese columns have cut the railway! line forty miles west of Loyang, which is the only route of escape for the Chinese Army. Other Japanese columns are reported .to have cut the railway line even further west. U.S.A. AIR RAIDS. CHUNGKING, May 14. A Chinese communique says: The U.S; Fourteenth Air Force has bombed targets in Burma and Western Yunnan. The Burma Road was also bombed. Japanese installations near Lungling were strafed. All the Allied planes returned. CHINESE AIR ATTACKS. CHUNGKING, May 14. A Chinese communique stated that the Chinese Air Force extensively attacked objectives on the Honan front with brilliant results, causing over five hundred casualties and destroying twenty-nine Japanese tanks, and numerous other vehicles.