PINCERS CLOSING

Wairarapa Times-Age, 13 May 1938, Page 8

PINCERS CLOSING

APPREHENSION IN CHINA THREAT TO RAILWAY. JAPANESE TAKE SEVERAL TOWNS. ' (Recd This Day, 12.50 p.m.) HANKOW, May 12. Apprehension has arisen owing to the advance of both jaws of the. Japanese pincers, which are endeavouring to cut the Lunghai Railway west of Hsuchow. The Japanese vanguard has captured Mengching and Yungchen and has reached Shikungshan, where it is meeting with vigorous counter-attacks, while another column has taken Sianglitsi after nearly blowing it off the earth. The Japanese occupation of Amoy Island is now complete.

CHINESE VERSION. HEAVY CASUALTIES INFLICTED. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) WELLINGTON, May 13. The Chinese Consul has received the following cablegram from Hankow: “There is severe fighting west of Shantung and south of the Hwai River. The enemy’s intention to cut the Lunghai Railway is definitely revealed. West of Shantung the enemy followed the Kingshiang-Yta highway in their attack but during the last two days we have killed ovei’ a thousand of the enemy. North of the Hwai River we strongly counter-attacked at Menchang and its vicinity and killed five hundred Japanese and destroyed two tanks. Our planes bombed and sunk two Japanese warships at the mouth of the Pearl River, and destroyed arms depots and ammunition dumps on various small islands in possession of the Japanese. The Chinese military spokesman stated that since, the beginning of the Sino-Japanese conflict enemy planes destroyed by the Chinese total 625.