Japs Claim to Have Trapped Chinese

Manawatu Times, Volume 63, Issue 80, 5 April 1938, Page 7

Japs Claim to Have Trapped Chinese

SEVEN DIVISIONS IN PERIL United Press Association—By jElectrlc Telegraph.—Copyright. Received Monday, 11.35 p.m. LONDON, April 4. The Peking correspondent of the Daily Telegraph reports that a Japanese staff officer declares that despite the sweeping claims by the Chinese of victory along the Tient-sin-Pukow railway the Japanese at present had seven Chinese divisions trapped between two columns while the Japanese mobile detachments had cut off the Chinese retreat. MORE CHINESE SUCCESSES TWO TOWNS CAPTURED HANKOW, April 3. General Li Tsung-jen’s ctack troops claim to have taken complete possession of Taier-chwang, north of Suchow, following up bayonet and hand-grenade charges by setting fire to buildings with kerosene, and to be driving the Japanese to retreat to Hsianchen. The Chinese crossed the Grand Canal and captured Hanchwang, on the Shan-tung-Kiangsu border. The majority of the Japanese in Yihsien are retreating south-west to Lanling. The following cablegram was received by the Chinese Consul from Hankow: — The enemy force which we surrounded at Taier-chwang was completely annihilated. Yesterday our troops recaptured for the second time Kaeiho and Liangshiatien, two railway stations north of Tengshien. We split the enemy forces into several sections at TsaOchwang and Yihsien, and are now surrounding and attacking each section separately. During March we destroyed 35 enemy ’planes and picked up the dead bodies of 37 Japanese airmen within our lines, and captured two airmen. Our mechanised units have joined in the fighting in the front line in the south of Shantung, and have proved very effective. We still maintain the upper hand in fighting in the northern sector of the Tsinpu railway.