SHELLING AT SHANGHAI.

Wairarapa Age, 1 November 1937, Page 5

SHELLING AT SHANGHAI.

BRITISH SOLDIERS KILLED & WOUNDED.

“SUICIDE” BATTALION STILL HOLDING OUT. IN ALMOST UNASSAILABLE POSITION. SHANGHAI, October 29. An eye-witness, describing the deaths of the Ulster Riflemen, Howard, Mallow, and O’Toole, and the wounding o.f Riflemen Delaney, Maguire, and Downey, says that a shell burst over a post close to Soochow Greek, where Mallow and Howard stood. Shrapnel struck Mallow in the back, killing him instantly. Howard was struck in the chest and died soon afterwards. Maguire may lose a leg. Delaney was badly wounded in the thigh. Rifleman Tomlinson was taken to hospital with shell-shock. O ’Toole, who was off duty, was killed inside a cafe, where a misdirected shell blew r in the shop front and killed two Chinese on the pavement. O’Toole's face was so disfigured that it was not known for some time who ho was. 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 idea of shelling the Shanghai-Hangchow railway. Fifty shells fell wide, many of them 500 yards within the British area and one directly on the British post, reducing it to a shambles. The Japanese ceased shelling when they were apprised of the casualties. Heartened by a message from the Commander of the 88th. Chinese Army: “Shed your last drop of blood; I and all my comrades salute you/’ the Chinese “suicide” battalion at Chapei is still holding out, with the loss of only a few men. It is now stated that the Japanese do not intend to attack the warehouse, ostensibly owing to the danger to adjacent British troops and the risk of blowing up the Chapei gasometer. The battalion’s position is almost unassailable by infantry. TWO MORE DEATHS. WOUNDED ULSTER RIFLEMEN. JAPANESE HELD RESPONSIBLE. (Received Sunday, 6.39 p.m.) SHANGHAI, October 30. Two of the wounded Ulster Riflemen, Delaney and McGuire, died of their injutiee. British, military officials investigated the tragedy and found that the shell had been tired by the Japanese whereupon they advised the Japanese that they would be held responsible. It is confirmed that Admiral Hasegawa sent a letter to Admiral Little with reference to the Sooehow Greek incident, complaining that a British soldier touched a Japanese machinegun, thus “insulting the Imperial Japanese Navy.’’ Admiral Little replied courteously but firmly, emphasising that the Japanese had no right to proceed up the creek through the British defence sector.

PARTIAL LULL.

CAUSED BY BAD WEATHER. THREATS AGAINST “DOOMED BATTALION.’’ (Received Sunday, 6.30 p.m.) SHANGHAI, October 30. Furious fighting on the borders of the International Settlement has died down because of bad weather. The Chinese continue to hold their lines. Rain has reduced flying to a minimum. The Japanese, however, Continue to concentrate a furious machine-gun fire at the “doomed battalion.”

The Japanese naval attache declared: “Our patience is exhausted. We have done our utmost to spare the lives of the defenders in a true samurai spirit, but must now make a final assault.” The threat has not shaken the Chinese, whose spirit is astonishing. When officers ordered wounded men to make their way to the International Concession they refused to leave their comrades, whereupon the officers themselves carried them to safety and handed them over to the British Red Cross. The defenders could easily escape to safety behind a British seven-foot barricade. The Japanese called on Admiral Sir C. J. C. Little and also on. the British ConsulGeneral and expressed regret at the casualties among British soldiers, but did not admit responsibility. GAS COMPANY WARNED. QUARTER OF CITY MENACED. (Received Sunday, 6.30 p.m.) SHANGHAI, October 30.

The Japanese have informed the British-owned Shanghai Gas Company that they intend to blow up the ‘ ‘ doomed battalion” in the warehouse three hundred yards away. If the gasometer explodes, it will wreck a quarter of the city. “SUICIDE BATTALION” SAFE. CHIANG KAI-SHEK’S ORDERS OBEYED. TROOPS REACH BRITISH POST. (Received Sunday, 7.30 p.m.) SHANGHAI, October 30. Acting on orders by Chiang Kaishek, who realised that the defence would not fulfil any military purpose, the remnant of the ‘‘suicide battalion” abandoned the warehouse before dawn. The defenders ran. the gauntlet of enemy machine-guns and searchlights, dribbling across twenty yards of bullet-swept road, and entered a British post, where they laid down their arms. They were warmly shaken by the hand and cheered. Brigadier-General A. P. D. Teller-Smollett, who paid a tribute to Chinese gallantry, superintended the taking over of four hundred rifles, eighteen machineguns and ammunition the members of the battalion brought in. The evacuation occupied three hours, in which 577 dashed over to safety. Six were killed and ten wounded. The Welsh Fusiliers assisted and gave first aid to

the wounded. The Japanese have since occupied the warehouse. INNER MONGOLIA. NEW AUTONOMOUS STATE. PEKING, October 29. Kweihua, thq <qrmer capital of Su#yuan, and now the "capital Of the new autonomous States of Inner Mongolia embodying Chahar and Suiyuan which has been created under Japanese auspices, will be reehristened Hohogoto. The chief executive will be Prince Yeh, aged 72.

Japanese marines are driving the Chinese out of Kimoi Island. BID FOB VICTORY. BEFORE BRUSSELS CONFERENCE (Received Sunday, 6.30 p.m.) TIENTSEN, October 30. The Japanese are rushing troops to North China in an effort to win a decisive victory before the Brussels Conference. The new puppet Inner Mongolian Republic is stated to be working smoothly under Japanese protection. PEACE PROPOSALS. JAPAN READY TO ENTER INTO ; NEGOTIATIONS. TOKIO, October 29. The Foreign Office spokesmen said that if China made direct proposals for peace, the Japanese Government would not hesitate to enter into negotiations. HOSTILITY TO BRITAIN. NEW MOVEMENT IN JAPAN. (Received Sunday 6.30 p.m.) TOKIO, October 30. The “Council on Current Affairs,” an unofficial body consisting of industrialists and members of the Lower House, passed a resolution finding fault with Britain,, whom the manifesto accuses of failing to observe neutrality, pursuing an arrogant and insulting policy towards Japan, consistently assisting China and inspiring the Brussels Conference, The movement is seeking to make articulate an undercurrent of hostility recently apparent. ABBEY SERVICE. PRAYERS FOR BOTH CHINESE & JAPANESE. LONDON, October 29. Prayers in both the Chinese and the Japanese tongues were heard in Westminster Abbey at a festival thanksgiving service organised by the Anglican Communion in the Far East in celebration of the jubilee of the Church in Japan and the silver jubilee of the Church in China. The Archbishop of Canterbury, who presided, read a message from a member of the Chinese Church: “I, a loyal Chinese, hate the Japanese policy in China, but shall continue to work for & Sino-Japanese Christian brotherhood.” The Primate added that such a spirit would enable Christianity to triumph over war.