CO129-520-1 Chinese situations 20-12-1929 - 27-1-1931 — Page 66

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trenches and prepared to dispute any attempt to

cross the river.

6.

During the latter part of November, when these manoeuvres were in progress, the Kwangsi commanders were mobilizing their forces and moving them down the West River, while Cheung Fat-fui transferred his army from Hunan through Kwangsi to the border of Kwangtung. On December 1st the latter crossed the border and by December 4th had reached the North River at Tsing-yuen. By this time reinforcements

from Nanking had reached Kwangtung and the Cantonese changed their original plan of defence. They now felt themselves strong enough to risk a decisive

engagement and accordingly abandoning any attempt to defend the line of the North River, they withdrew to

entrenched positions extending from Kwan Tin on the Canton-Hankow railway to Kwun Iu in the direction of

Sam Shui, allowing both Cheung's "Ironsides" and the Kwangsi army to cross unmolested. The former marched

across country to Fa Yuen before turning South

towards Canton, while the latter kept to the West

of the railway. On the evening of December 8th the Kwangsi troops began an attack on the Cantonese

positions at Kwan Tin, which continued at intervals

for several days without meeting with any success.

Meanwhile the ironsides had penetrated the defences on

the North East side of Canton, which had been less

carefully prepared; but they were driven back by

reinforcements brought across from the Western Sector.

On