1938-06-22 — Page 7

THE CHINA MAIL, JUNE 22, 1938

TWELVE HUNDRED TANKS TO AID HANKOW DEFENCE China Using Breathing Space To Tighten Up

Redisposition Of Forces For New Situation

Hankow, To-day.

·HUMANITY- BONDS FOR REFUGEES

Hankow, To-day.

The Yellow River flood was dis- cussed at an informal conference of Government leaders, including Dr. H. H. Kung, and it was de- cided first to rush relief to the flood refugees and secondly to

The breathing space, afforded by the Yellow River flood to the Chinese armies, is being feverishly used by the Chinese to reorganize and to take hasten the repair of the dykes.

up positions to defend Hankow from the south, in addition to the defence measures already taken against attack along the Yangtse.

A new Chinese line is stated to have been formed, more or less, in a straight line running diagon-

The Chinese Government has decided to float $100,000,000 worth of "Humanity. Bonds" for the re- lief of war. refugees.

At present, only $30,000,000 worth of the bonds have been is- sued.---Reuter.

ally across Honan from Kinghsien, thirty-five JAPANESE

miles to the west of Chengchow, through Hsu-

chow on to Pinghan, sixty-five miles to the BESIEGED AT

south of Chengchow towards Kushih corner, where south Honan joins Anhwei.

IMPORTANT

Behind this a second line has been prepared running diagonally in a south-easterly direction across Ping- shan at Singyang, where troops are

CITIES INUNDATED already stated to be in position, act

Chengchow, To-day.

as a nucleus around which the ar- mies retreating from the new first The flood waters from the Yel-line should it be broken would re- low River have passed through form. Chowchiakow, about 75 miles south-

FRESH TROOPS

is Behind this second line there east of Kaifeng, and are continuing still another third line of defence, to pour in a southeasterly direction.running in a semi-circle from Wu- Swollen by the flood waters, the shengkwan through Naching across Chia Lu River in east Honan is in the south bank of the Yangtse where danger of overflowing, Yenling and a major stand will be attempted.. Fukou, two important cities lying between the Peiping-Hankow Rail- way and the Chia Lu River, are in- undated. The Chinese garrison troops and inhabitants are working feverishly to strengthen the dykes along the river.-Central News.

RETREAT FROM CHIENSHAN

Kweichih, To-day.

This line will be stocked by fresh troops, supported by the newly or- ganzied artillery and mechanized units. Guarding the flanks of these three main lines will be two forces, one northward along the Lunghai,” Railway, between Kunghsien, Tung- kwan and southward from Tung- kwan, along Tapishan mountain, and the other to the south, running southward from Kushih towards Kiukiang, where there is a boom across the Yangtse.

With their defence works levelled It is stated that the total number to the ground by continuous Japan- of the forces employed in the de- ese artillery, and aerial bombard- fence of Hankow, total 60 divisions. ment, the Chinese troops have now It is impossible to obtain any withdrawn from Tsienshan, 30 official figures of the newly organ- miles south-west of Anking, and ised artillery and mechanised units, have taken up new positions east but information from usually re- of Taihu, near the Anhwei-Hupeh | liable sources, indicates that the border.

organisation of 30 artillery regi- Heavy Chinese reinforcements ments has been completed and the are arriving in the Taihu area Chinese army have obtained 1,200 ready for a counter-attack.

new tanks.

Japanese vanguards advancing The new artillery units will be on Taihu by the Tsienshan-Taihu | equipped with 80 field pieces from highway were driven off by the Russia and 300 more from other Chinese yesterday.

countries,

The Japanese column at Shu- cheng has not been able to make any progress, in the face of stiff Chinese resistance.-Central News."

NANCHANG BOMBED

Nanchang, To-day. Japanese planes were active in Kiangai yesterday,

The Soviet guns are 72 mm. field guns and there are also some 6 inch

guns..

4 TO 9-TON TANKS

The tanks are mainly light and medium weight tanks of four, five, seven and nine tons.

Wa:le undoubtedly these new guns and tanks will be used in the de- fence of Hankow, it is reliably learn- ed that only part of the newly-ar- Five aircraft bombed Nanchang, rived armanents will be used, and releasing 82-missiles in the out-many will be kept in reserve for the skirts.

possibility of A later. battle

Six other machines attacked in West Hunan.-Reuter. Matang on the Yangtze River in

the afternoon.

Natang, Pengtseh, Hukow and

More planes conducted an exten- Kiukiang later in the afternoon.- sive reconnaissance flight over Contral News.

YUHSIH

Hankow, To-day.

After a clash to the north- west of Yuhsih, south of Kai- feng, the Japanese forces have retired to within the city, which is now besieged by the Chinese, according to a Chinese military communique.

Heavy movements of troops and supplies are noted pro- ceeding south along the Tien- tsin-Pukow Railway from Hauchow, apparently for the Japanese forthcoming opera- tions along the Yangtse.

Japanese forces in west An- hwei are launching their main attack towards Taihu, south- west of Chienshan.

The Chinese forces, after evacuation of Chienshan, are now holding positions in the hilla between Chienshan and

JAPANESE MENACED

FRONT AND REAR

PEIPING, TO-DAY. NINE-TENTHS OF THE YEL- LOW RIVER IS STILL FLOWING THROUGH THE BREACHES IN THE DYKES NEAR KAIFENG, SAYS A JAPANESE REPORT, WHILE, AS THE RESULT OF THE FLOODWATER REACHING THE UPPER HWAI RIVER VAL- LEY, THE HWAI RVER IS RIS- ING RAPIDLY.

While the Japanese are rescuing their units from the flooded areas, the Chinese are most active around Peking and also in Shansi.

Three actions with large forces of guerillas are reported on the Peking-Hankow Railway line, one interrupting the traffic at Paoting- fu, while at Kupeikow, guerillas..... burned down a wooden bridge carry- ing the newly-constricted Peking- Jehol Railway.

Southern Shansi is said to be in a chaotic state, the Japanese re- Divisions porting that 27 Chinese are now in the southern half of the Province and constantly attacking the railway between Taiyuan and frequently in- Puchow, which is terrupted-Reuter.

Taihu. One Japanese detach- ment advancing along the highway appeared at a point some 50 kilometres from Tai- hu, but

The was repulsed. * Chinese communique -states that Chinese reinforcements have arrived in the Taihu sec- tor and are now launching-a counter-attack on the Japanese at Chienshan.-Reuter.

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