Bread presented by italian soldiers on guard duty on Soochow Creek to Japanese blue-jackets was on Thursday carried across the wide creek in water-proof containers by five em-ning Company, swam the distance under Chinese fire.
The bread was presented to the blue-jackets after the five men had made several trips across the creek with drinking water, beer, cider, and biscuits, the "Shanghai United News" reported yesterday.
The blue-jackets first appeared on the other bank of the creek at 1.30 o'clock in the afternoon. They were observed by the Japanese employees of the mill who waved flags and shouted encouragement.
Asked whether or not they needed anything, the officer of the Japanese unit, which included 15 men, said they were thirsty, the daily reported.
Ignoring Chinese fire, the five men then swam across the creek, at this point 30 metres wide, with bottles of water. Later they brought additional stores.
The Italians, who were interested observers, then asked the five Japanese to take bread to the blue-jackets on the other side of the creek.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.