GIRLS CARRY STANDARDS

Southland Times, Issue 23346, 2 November 1937, Page 7

GIRLS CARRY STANDARDS

CHINA’S “SUICIDE BATTALION” BRITISH ACCUSED OF AIDING DEFENCE TWO MORE MEN WOUNDED BY JAPANESE SHELLS (United Press Assn.—Telegraph Copyright) (Received November 1, 9.55 p.m.) SHANGHAI, November 1. Throughout the five days’ siege of China’s alcazar—the warehouse in Chapei in which the “suicide battalion” held out — seven smartly uniformed Chinese girls carried the battalion’s standards, running the gauntlet at the dead of night with the survivors, who included youths of 15 and 16. The Chinese commander, who was last to leave, returned to rescue a few men left from the burning building. The party reached safety as the Japanese rushed into the ruins. One of the British posts was fired on by the Japanese from 500 ft. The British returned the fire with a Lewis gun, in accordance with instructions. It is officially stated that two men were killed and 24 wounded when the “doomed battalion” dashed to safety yesterday. Three hundred and seventyseven of the original 500 escaped alive and were interned in the western district under a British guard. A Japanese naval statement says that 100 Chinese corpses were found in the warehouse occupied by the “doomed battalion.” It adds that an abundance of fresh food was also found. “The landing party cannot,” the statement continues, “suppress a feeling of displeasure at the presence of provisions which must have been smuggled through the British defences.” During a heavy Japanese bombardment three more men of the Ulster Rifles, Lance-Corporal Dowey and Riflemen Leckie and Anderson, were wounded by a shell from a trench mortar which struck the Jessfield Road barracks. It was reported that the barracks were later completely evacuated, but this was denied by the British military authorities. A journalist, Mr W. Farmer, of The North China Daily News and formerly on the staff of a Western Australian newspaper, together with his news editor, Mr A. P. Finch, went on to the roof of a building early in the morning for the purpose of spotting the Japanese attack on the Chinese “suicide battalion.” A shell roared overhead and fell into the Whang-poo, a second hit a bank next door, and then both were blown off their feet by the explosion of another shell which hit the building. They remained recumbent while two other shells burst, after which they went below. Mr Farmer was not hurt, but Mr Finch was slightly wounded. The Japanese are slowly penetrating the Shansi province, in North China, but under conditions recalling Napoleon’s march on Moscow. The inhabitants laid waste the evacuated tracts and removed all food, preventing the Japanese from obtaining any supplies on their exhausting advance.

CHINESE FRUSTRATE SEVERE ATTACKS JAPANESE HEAVY GUNS BUSY (United Press Association) WELLINGTON, November 1. The Chinese Consul has received the following cable message from Nanking: The Japanese forces are concentrating on the attack upon Nanziang, using heavy artillery and planes. The infantry attack is also severe, but the Chinese hold the line. There has been little fighting on the other fronts. Japanese planes are bombing the Chinese positions in the western districts. Several Japanese attempts to pass have been frustrated. The Chinese command denies the Japanese accusations that the shells which killed the British soldiers were fired by Chinese forces. It is alleged that the Japanese intentionally fired as a means of retaliating against the frustration by the international defence forces of the Japanese attempt to attack the warehouse occupied by the “suicide battalion” from Soochow creek. BRITISH MEDICINES FOR CHINA FIRST CONSIGNMENT ON THE WAY LONDON, October 30. The first consignment of medicines and drugs, costing £BOOO, was ordered today by the medical supplies committee of the Lord Mayor’s fund for relief of distress in China. It will be sent to China next week and will be followed immediately by dressings, surgical instruments, prophylactic serums and vaccines. The serums and vaccines will probably be despatched by air. Prayers in both the Chinese and Japanese tongues were heard at a festival of thanksgiving at Westminister Abbey, organized by the'Anglican Communion in the Far East in celebration of the Japanese churches jubilee and the Chinese churches’ silver jubilee. The Archbishop of Canterbury (Dr Cosmo Lang), who presided quoted a message from a member of the Chinese Church as follows: “I am a loyal Chinese and hate the Japanese policy in China, but I shall continue working for Sino-Japanese Christian brotherhood.” The Primate added that such a spirit would enable Christianity to triumph over war. SOVIET DELEGATION TO CONFERENCE (Received November 1, 7.55 p.m.) MOSCOW, November 1. The Foreign Commissar (M. Maxim Litvinov), supported by the Soviet Ambassador to Paris (M. Vladimir Potemkin) and the Soviet Ambassador to Brussels (M. Rubinin) will be the chief Russian delegate to the nine-Power conference on the Far Eastern situation.