CHINA & JAPAN

Hokitika Guardian, 1 November 1937, Page 5

CHINA & JAPAN

\ A JAP RUSH

TO SECURE DECISIVE VICTORY. (United Press Association —By Electric Telegraph—Copyright). \ TIENTSIN, Oct. 30. ' The Japanese are rushing troops; jt? North China in an effort, to wuj. decisive victory before the Brussels, Nine Power Conference.

%. SHANGHAI, Oct. 29. “'Kweibua, the former {capital of;.Siu : yan, is . nQW .the .capital. oL a new autonomous State in liingr Mongolia embodying Chahara . and Suiyuan, created under Japanese , auspices. It will be re-ohristened ifthogoto.; The ch;e: executive will be Prince Yeh, who is seventy-two years of age. . <

Japanese marines are driviiug. the Chinese (jut of Guemqy Island.. , The new ‘ Puppet inner : . Along lian Republic .is stated to., be .working smoothly under Japanese protection. , \ ’ ‘RAIN At SHANGHAI. v; .shanghai, oct. 30. . There has been fliriqus fighting on (he borders of .the . International Settlement. It has now died, down because bad weather has come on. The Chinese continue toehold ; their new lines. Rain has. reduced the; flying

to a mimimum

suicide battalion

RETIRE FROM WAREHOUSE;

: pet. 30. 'Acting on orders from Marshal Ciiiang Kai-Shek, who. realised that their defence would not fulfil any military purpose, the remnant of the “Suicide” Battalion has abandoned the warehouse‘at Chapei- They left it before dawn on Saturday. -The de- , fenders ran the gauntlet of enemy machine guns'and' searchlights. Dribbling across, twenty' yards of ballet-swept road, they 'ehtered' a British; post, where J theY laid .down arms. They were warnily shaken by the hand .• VY .' >■ ■ , Tfie British Commander, General Telfer-Smollett, paid* a: tribute •to the Chinese gallantry. -He \ superintended tbe taking over of. four hundred rifles, eighteen machine-guns and ammunition 'which they brought in. The. evacuation . occupied three hours, in which 377 men dashed over to • safety: Six wore • killed. Twenty were wounded. Welsh * Fusiliers assisted arid- 1 gave first-aid to the wounded; .The Japanese have since ' Occupied the; warehouse which the Chinese abandoned/ "\\ -. . / :' : V

JAPANESE SHELL

KILLS ULSTER RIFLEMEN

SHANGHAL Oct. 29

Three Ulster Riflerhen- were killed, and -several were wounded by, shells frilling on the western sector dunn> tne - .new: battle. Numbers of Chinese; were also .killed' within t-he Settlement A The ~:Ulstermen ; were killed at 'Jessfieid Park: •; 1 ; / ■ ■ British - troops >are placed in a dangerous position by the transfer of the fighting to the new zpile. The .U lster - men were often under fire to-day during a terrific artillery ' duel. The dugouts were raked by shrapnel and .by explosions from (Junes.' mines. •

V. : ;r, LONDON; Oct. 29. ' .-.An', eye-witiiess 'describing iilie deaths, at Shanghai of Rifleinei* Inward, Y Mallon, ■ and. O’Toole, and tlie ' wounding of ’ Rifle Delaney, Maguire and Downey,. of- the Ulster llifles, by Japanese shell fire, states ' that a shell burst over the. post elcse to the Sooehow, Creek, „ where -V allon

and Howard stood. • The shrapnel struck Mallon,. in the back, killing ' hinV instantly. Howard was stryck on the chest and died soon Afterwards. Maguire may lose a leg, but. .Delaney is badly wounded in the thigh, i anil . Riflemhn lias been, sent to the hospita} - ; >vitli shell shook. O’Toole, who.was off,duly, was killed inside a cate, where a.misdirected shell blew in the shopfront and killed two Chinese ■ on, the .pavement.

_ O’Toole’s face was ..so disfigured that it was not known for some time who he was. ... ~ v , ....... „ i A barmaid was wounded, in the face and fled screaming from the cafe;

• The casualties were due to a Japanese battery three-quarters' of- a mile distant' opening fire with the icle t oj shelling the Shanghai-Hangchow rail; wayl Fifty shells fell wide, but 1 many fell five hundred ’yards ’ within the British area; one directly on the Brit • isb'pdst, reducing it to a, shambles. ‘The Japanese" ceased shelling when apprised of the casualties .

U MORE ULSTERMEN DIE. .... , • . . - - ' ' K ' ■ .2 .

■' SDANGW' Oct, 30. Two more Ulster riflemen, Delaney and McGuire, have- died pf their injuries. British military officials investigated the tragedy' and found a she'll had been fired : by. Japanese. Thereupon, they advised .the Japanese that they would be.held responsible. !' / JAPANESE REGRETS. ’",. SHANGH>T, Oct. 30. ; The Japanese representatives called on ; the British Consul-General and. expressed regret aft.’ the casualties among British soldiers.- but they did admit th* responsibility. *

JAPANESE COMMANDER

SHANGHAI, Oct. 31

It is confirmed that’ Admiral Hasegawa has sent a letter to the Bridsli Commander, Little, with reference to a iSoochow Creek inefuent on Fiiday, complaining that a,, British so.dter had touched & Japanese machine-gun, thus “insulting the Imperial Japanese Navy.” Commander Little lepl.ect, courteously and firmly, emphasising that the Japanese had no fight to proceed up Sooeliow Creek through a British defence sector. /

JAPANESE MOVEMENT

FOR BREACH WITH BRITAIN

TOKIO, Oct. 30

The “Council on Current Affairs,” which is an unofficial body, consist.ng of industrialists and members of the Lower House, has passed a resolution appealing for ai national movement to sever Japanese diplomatic relation with Britain.

The Council, in a manifesto, accuses Britain of failing to observe neutrality, and of openly pursuing an arrogant and insulting attitude to Japan, and also consistently assisting China and inspiring the Brussels Nine Power Conference.

The Council’s movement is seeking to make articulate an undercurrent of hostility which recently has been apparent.

JAP. SHELLING

AT WHANGPOO

(Received this day at 10.30 a.m.)

SHANGHAI, October 31

A journalist Mr W. Farmer oi tne North China Daily News” and formerly of a West Australian newspaper, together wth the news editor, Mr A. P. Finch, wont on a roof early this morning, spotting a Japanese attack on the Chinese “suicide” battalion. A shell roared -overhead and fell into Whangpoo. A second hit a chartered bank next door and then both were blown off their feet bv the explosion of another shell \yhch hit the building. They remained recumbent, jvhile two others bit after which they w’ent below. Farmer was.not injured, but Finch was slightly wounded.