DESPERATE FIGHTING

Hawera Star, Volume XLVI, 9 May 1927, Page 3

DESPERATE FIGHTING

CHAING HAS REVERSE.

FALL OF HANKOW EXPECTED.

CAPTURE BY NORTHERNERS

BY CABLE—PRESS ASSOCIATION—COPYRIGHT. SHANGHAI, May 6Heavy fighting on both sides of the Yanigtsze apparently marks the end of the stalemate as fax as the Chinese military warfare is concerned. The Northerners launched wave after wave in an attack against a small force of two divisions of Chiang Kaishek’s Nationalists in the. region of Nanking, who had .been holding out for two days against numerically superior odds and were finally forced to retire before a sdesperate Shantung assault. The Nationalists thus lost the capital of Anwhei province, also other cities on the direct line to Hankow. The latter’s position is now precarious, and it should fall to the Northerners within a fortnight-, as once Chiang Kaishek’s forces are eradicated little opposition will he encountered from the Hankow Communists.

Chiang Kaishek slightly countered the Anwhei reverse by driving across the Yangtsze and routing Sun Oman Fang’s troops in the region of Yangchow, the fall of which is reported hut not confirmed. —“Sydney Sun” Cable.