Not Possible to Estimate Casualties

Horowhenua Chronicle, 24 February 1932, Page 7

Not Possible to Estimate Casualties

FIELD HOSPITALS CRAMMED WITH DYING.

San Francisco Press Broadcast,

SHANGHAI, Feb. 23,

Chinese shells screamed over the International Settlement to-day in a bombardment of a Japanese naval landing quay and the Japanese Consulate in the heart of the foreign concession on Shanghai's Bund. The cannonade, directed at the Japanese lines in Hong Kew, the Consulate and the Japanese ships moored in the Whangpoo river, came from a Chinese armoured train at the north railway station and field batteries in Chapei. Two shells went over the river and burst in the Pootung area. Others exploded along the Bund near the Consulate, and along the wharves used by Japanese transports. Fires broke out in the Japanese a districts, and the invaders’ heavy guns shelled Chapei in response to the Chinese barrage.

Several suells landed near H.M.S. ; Suffolk, British cruiser, moored opposite ! the Hong Kew sector. Two projectiles 1 exploded in the Whangpoo near the i Japanese cruiser Idzumo, but did not s damage it. \ Chapei Area Sea of Flames As a result of the Japanese return bombardment and fighting in the vicinity of the north station, the whole 5 Chapei area from Paoshan road to North Szechuen road, to a depth of about a half-mile, was entirely in flames,' lighting the whole settlement at • 2.30 a.m. The Chinese claimed a direct ! trench mortar hit on tHte headquarters of the Japanese landing party on North Szechuen road. Flames from that region were visible for a long distance. Severe infantry fighting between ' Chapei and Hong Kew park found the Japanese lines slightly advanced. Heavy Casualties Chinese casualties since the start of the Japanese offensive on Saturday are placed by the invaders at 6000, with 2500 recorded on Monday. The Japanese admit only 30 killed yesterday, but they lost at least a hundred men. It is impossible to estimate the casualties on either side accurately, but field hospitals are crammed with dying. Hundreds of Chinese were brought to the Settlement in Red Cross trucks. The Chinese,, declare that a Japanese division of 11,000 men, supplied with more tanks, machine-guns and howitzers, will arrive to-day, with one brigade landing in the vicinity of Woosung- to prevent a flanking movement by the Chinese, and the others at Shanghai. The Japanese refused to admit that the fresh troops are arriving Crack Troops in Action Another Chinese brigade, General Chiang Kai Shek’s own bodyguard, joined the Chinese forces along the Kiangwan front on Monday, and was taking part in attacks this morning under cover of darkness that prevented their being wiped out by Japanese

aerial attacks. The 37th, also a Chiang origade, has been in action for two days. The Bund and the principal streets of the foreign settlement were deserted by all but members of the Shanghai Volunteer Corps and newspaper correspondents when the Chinese started their shelling. Defenders to be Starved Out

Unsuccessful in every attempt to break the Chinese lines at Kiangwan, the Japanese deter--ined to-day to starve out the force of defenders still surviving in the ruins of the battered village. With tanks, armoured cars, inlantry, airplanes and field artillery they attempted to drive a wedge in the Chinese line north of the village that they might be in a position to stop any attempt to get food or ammunition to the Chinese stationed in the Kiangwan machine-gun nests. The Japanese had launched a new attack on Kiangwan at dawn to-day, but met stiff resistance as they directed their blows on the south and northwest sides of the , village.

Chinese shells hit the Italian cruiser Libya this morning. They did little damage and there were no casualties, although the Italians are wrathful. A report that the Chinese mistakenly fired on American forces came to-day

from down the river, whore shells aimed at a now Japanese position fell m the Whangpoo in the neighbourhood of the U.S.S. Houston. These shells did no damage.