Commanded by Colonel Hsieh Chin-yuan and Major Yang Yui-fu, graduates of the Whampoa Military Academy, China's West Point, the battalion was believed to have been ordered to fight a rearguard action. against the Japanese on the night of the Chinese withdrawal from Chapei. While their comrades left safely, they signified their determination to fight against the Japanese to the bitter end.
"Shed your last drop of blood in fulfilling your sacred duty of defending national territory for the glory of the Chinese race, the Chiese Republic and the Chinese Revolutionary Army. I and all my comrades salute youl' This was reported to be part of a message of encouragement sent yesterday by Lieutenant-General Sun Yuan-liang, Commander of the 88th Division, to the battalion under his command.
"Meanwhile requests were made with the Chinese authorities here by. many sympathizers, both foreign and Chinese, to have the men, almost surrounded on three sides [4 the Japanese, removed safely i the Settlement. The League a nese Women sent an t ram to Nanking, Mme. Chiang Kai-shek to. ask the General issimo to issue orders to the battalion to withdraw in order to preserve those "patriotic heroes for our campaign of resistance."
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.