CO129-487 - Others & Individuals - 1924 — Page 483

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Sha Ho

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Chen's troops who had already occupied Poklo (on the East River above Sheklung) came on to Sheklung and, finding nobody there, took possession. Another portion of Sun's Tunnanese who had been attacking Waichow got back to the railway line at Cheung Muk Tou (between Sheklung and Shun Chun) and advanced to Sheklung, and drove out Chen's troops again. However this lot also didn't care about being left there and went on back to Canton. Sun started to move the Army out at once to the White

Cloud Mountain

Shek Pai line to protect Canton and

said he expected a battle there. Shek Pai is the first Halt out on the line about 3 miles from Canton. On Sunday the 18th there was a great deal of firing at Shek Pai and some of Sun's troops started to come in again to Canton, but they were held up by Honan troops who had come in from Hunan by the Yueh Han Railway and subsequently it was given out that the attacking forces had been driven back. I very much doubt whether any substantial force of Chen Chiung Ming ever followed Sun's retreating army, and I believe the battle to have been only agailst local pirates on Chen'e side. However that may be Sun's troops are now as far as Shektan again on the line, within 6 miles of Sheklung. I have had reports from Sheklung today to the effect that Chen Chiung King is holding Sheklung and the railway line from Sheklung to the frontier at Shun Chan.

The line is dotted with train wrecks and broken wagons; all gang-houses and stations along the whole line have been robbed and wrecked, doors and windows broken up for firewood and tools carried off, and, what is exceedingly serious, is that all telegraph instruments have been broken up or carried off, and the electrical tablet instruments for block section working have