CHINA FRONT

Grey River Argus, 12 September 1944, Page 3

CHINA FRONT

• CHUNGKING, Sdfrt. 10 “The Japanese have captured the American air base of Lingling, sev-enty-fives miles south-west of Hengyang,” state a Chinese communique. ‘“The Japanese are moving over a sixtyj-mile front at present within 100 miles of Kweilin.” An Army spokesman said that the Japanese were massing troops in northern Indo-China for a possible invasion of Kwangs! from the south, with the idea of joining forces near Kwangsia on the northern border. This would be a great step towards the .Japanese objective of organising an overland link between Singapore and Manchuria. General Stilwell’s communique reports that American Liberators sank ■three enemy freighters totalling 8,000 tens fifteen miles west of Takao. in Formosa. The besieged Japanese now hold only one-eighth of Tengchung and are being further compressed says a Chinese communique. Reinforced enemy units continue attempts to relieve beseiged Lingling, but the Chinese retain all the fortified strongpoints and advantageous hills. General Stilwell’s communique reports: Liberators on September 7 sank three 5,600-ton and one 1,200ton freighters in the South China Sea. Mitchells destroyed three buildings and 50 trucks at Lingling aerodrome. Bombers and fighters attacked railyards at Lingkwantien and .strafed to Keyang area, killng 300 Japanese. Warhawks set fire to a steamer and destroyed barges on the Siang River and probably sank a large river steamer at Shungpai. Heavy bombers sank an enemy vessel south-east of Hong Kong. Fighters destroyed or damaged 18 large and over 100 small river craft, and caused widespread damage to bridges and installations in the HengyangLinging sector. The Tokio radio stated that Chinabased American planes raided Formosa to-day.