JAPANESE DRIVE ON KWEILIN

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 88, Issue 230, 26 September 1944, Page 5

JAPANESE DRIVE ON KWEILIN

A REPORTED STALL Recd. 10 p.m. Chungking, Sept. 25. Although the Japanese drive on Kweilin is officially reported to be stalled 40 miles north-eastward ot the city, the Chinese High Command indicated the danger that the Japanese might outflank Kweilin. An enemy column 67 miles north-east-ward of Kweilin, striking south, could swing south-west to cut the railway southward of Kweilin, thus neutralising the city and also threatening Liuchow, 90 miles further soutn. The Chinese are fighting another Japanese column nine miles north-eastward of Wuchow. The Chinese south of Kwangs! recaptured Sunhing, 75 miles south-westward of Canton. Japanese attacks on Paoching, 63 miles westward of Hengyang, were repulsed. The 14th Air Force reports that a Chinese-American wing accounted for more than 2600 tons of Japanese shipping in the week ended September 20. Many Japanese planes are within striking distance of the active war fronts but the enemy is hesitant to throw in his air power. ALLIED DRIVE FROM CHINA TO MEET BURMA FORCES. Reed. 6 p.m. Chungking, Sept. 24. The Japanese have evacuated Pingka, 22 miles south-westward of Mangshih, in Yunnan province, says the Chinese High Command. The prime objective in the Allied drive is to join up with the forces in Burma and reopen the supply route to China.