Allied Troops Smash Through Chinese Ambush

Otago Daily Times, Issue 27569, 11 December 1950, Page 5

Allied Troops Smash Through Chinese Ambush

NZPA—Copyright Rec.; 11 p.m. SEOUL, Dec. 10. Columns of American First Marines Seventh Infantrymen and British Commandos are streaming south towards the east coast city of Hamhung today after smashing the fortnight-old Chinese encirclement of the 10th Corps, a spokesman announced today. An American Army relief column driving from the south joined up in the force today with the United States and British troops who fought their way from the Chosin Reservoir area through a Chinese Communist ambush. The two forces battled desperately against the Chinese before they finally linked up. Marine vehicles, immediately after the junction, began streaming downhill over the road through a steep gorgp leading to the Hamhung plains. Chinese attacks were reported to have fallen off to only scattered resistance after the junction was effected. Other Chinese forces, however, were reported to be building up for new attacks farther south along the allied escape route to Hamhung. Meanwhile, a huge United Nations naval armada stood by in the harbour of Hungnam and the Port of Hamhung ready to carry out a possible “Dunkirk ” evacuation. Steady Withdrawal United Nations forces in North-west Korea steadily withdrew, towards the thirty-eighth parallel as General MacArtnur clamped a black-out on official news of the retreat. Military observers said the logical line for the Allied forces to man if they \go below the parallel was on the Imjin River, 25 miles north of Seoul. Front-line reports said the maximum withdrawal by United Nations forces over the last 24 hours was 40 miles. A spokesman said the American Eighth Army had made “no commitments” on the defence of Seoul. He was commenting on the earlier statement'by another American official that the United Nations forces would defend Seoul.

In the western sector, Chinese troops are continuously flowing into the Pyongyang area, many mingling with civilians in an attempt to escape detection by Allied planes. Fighter Strikes American fighters yesterday inflicted an -estimated 1000 casualties in attacks on several thousand Communist troops moving south and south-east from Sariwon, near the west coast, and 35 miles north of the thirty-eighth parallel. On Friday, American planes claim to have inflicted 1100 casualties on Communist troops. American jet fighters and Mustangs engaged Russian type MIGIS jet fighters in the Sinuiju area. The enemy planes broke off the engagements by flying back across the border.