With the Japanese massing troops in the Civic Centre area, the scene of severe fighting is expected to be shifted from the Lotien-Liuhang sector to Kiangwan, according to a Chinese military spokesman at a press conference yesterday afternoon, Early yesterday morning, a vigorous offensive was launched by the Japanese with the apparent aim of breaking through the Chinese line at Liu-hang. According to the spokesman, the attack again failed with heavy losses. It was perhaps due to these repeated failures to make any headway along this front that the Japanese were preparing for a thrust in the direction of Kiangwan village, the spokesman said.
In the vicinity of the Tientungan Railway Station, a detachment of Japanese bluejackets launched a surprise attack on the Chinese at 3 p.m. yesterday. They were driven back by the defenders, however, the spokesman said.
Japanese batteries, probably firing from their new positions at the Civic Centre, heavily shelled Kiangwan and the vicinity of Chih Tse University early yesterday morning.—Pootung also was given the usual quota of shells without doing much damage, the spokesman said.
In consequence of the set-backs which the Japanese have met as a result of strong Chinese resistance and vigorous counter-attacks, Japanese forces have been compelled to go slow during the past two days, according to the spokesman, A feeble attack was launched against Chinese positions to the east of Liuhang on Sunday with only a comparatively small Japanese force taking part.
Advancing from the Yung-an-chiao line, astride the Paoshan-Liuhang highway, the Japanese invaders immediately met Chinese troops, who left their trenches east of Yangmuchiao, and rushed forward into the Japanese advancing line, the spokesman said. A fierce encounter took place, resulting in the capture of Chuche/and Siaochuche by the Chinese.
The places in the Civic Centre area, where the Japanese were reported to be massing troops were along Hsiang-ying Road, San-min Road and the Civic Centre Stadium, An advanced scouting party, about two companies strong, was seen scouting around Fuh Tan University, according to the spokesman.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.