Invaders Attack on Wide Front

Manawatu Times, Volume LV, Issue 6789, 22 February 1932, Page 7

Invaders Attack on Wide Front

HEAVY BOMBARDMENT OF CHINESE LINES. Received Sunday, 7.50 p.m. SHANGHAI, Feb. 20. Hostilities opened on a large scale, after a desultory beginning, on three fronts, with intensive bombarding by Japanese artillery along the Kiangwan and Chapei fronts, together with heavy shelling of the Woosung defences, as the Japanese commenced their big push over a wide front.

The Japanese forces stretching along the front between Woosung and Shanghai, making a concerted move, slowly advanced, preceded by heavy firing from small Howitzer batteries.

The movement along the Kiangwan front commenced shortly after 8 o’clock this morning when Japanese infantry occupied the International racecourse with little fighting, the Chinese having retreated to Strongly entrenched positions further inland. At 7 o’clock General Ueda summoned his staff and announced that the Chinese had failed to withdraw and ordered an immediate offensive. Ninety minutes later the Kiangwan racecourse tvas occupied with a feAV casualties. The infantry advance was assisted by a heavy bombardment of the shalloAV Chinese trenches in the Kiangwan area, the. Chinese forces retreating to Kiangwan village, which is reported to be strongly fortified. The converging movement towards Kiangwan commenced at midnight on Friday, when infantry took positions at right angle formation, awaiting order to advance. A mixed brigade stationed during the past week at Changwahpang moved south-west toAvards the racecourse while the main lino moved across the Woo sung military road steadily. The position is now consolidated and is now awaiting the general, offensive, having cleared the immediate front of tire small Chinese resistance in this area. The Chinese intend falling back to a fortified trench system along a line extending from Kiangwan village - beyond Jessfield Park, southwards from Nantao. Japanese reports estimate that 3000 troops occupied the Kiangwan sector, but offered little resistance with the exception of a strong party inside Fuhtan University, Avhich was eventually taken by the Japanese at considerable sacrifice, owing to unwillingness to. oombard the cultural institution.

The Chinese retreated when aeroplanes bombed the vicinity during the Japanese advance. Their aeroplanes circled. the defective territory, directing the operations of their artillery. ■ At Woosung, Japanese destroyers opened fire on Woosung village, the Chinese replying with heavy guns without serious result. The Japanese bombardment reduced a Avide area to ruins, extending from the mouth of the Whangpoo river to Woosung Creek, where the Chinese were strongly entrenched in an amazing system of dug-outs and a network of tunnels.

Chinese shells found marks in the Changwahpang railway yards, 'where the Japanese*hacl established a base, but the cruiser Yubari and destroyers poured broadsides into the village, doing tremendous damage and starting numerous fires. Chinese troops entrenched along the rivcrbnnk poured a continuous machine-gun fire into the destroyers, but artillery in the village failed to score a direct hit on the Japanese vessels.

From the Chapei front artillery pumped shells into the Chinese lines behind the demolished North station, while aeroplanes circled overhead, dropping bombs. Chinese fields guns replied heavily towards noon, while anti-aircraft guns maintained a regular fire, numerous shells falling in the Settlement and damaging property in the Markham road area, killing five Chinese and injuring many. Four Japanese batteries located just outside the Settle-' ment. limits in the northern district kept a concentrated fire on the Chinese positions, but a regular response indicated that the Chinese batteries were not severely damaged. The fighting in this area was confined to heavy gunning, the opposing infantry awaiting’ the general offensive. The. Chinese are holding their machine-gun fire until to-night in order to avoid disclosing their positions, which are hidden in numerous ruined buildings, awaiting the Japanese attack. , . Judging from the activity of. the Red Cross units on all the fronts, the casualties are believed heavy. Incoming vessels report that, a fleet of Japanese transports is standing by the entrance of the Yangtse, conveyed by three cruisers and a destroyer flotilla. These are believed to be the additional divisions which were requested by General Ueda.