Shanghai, Mar, 27, 'ULMINATING an intense drive of a week's duration, Japanese forces at 540 pam. today completed their occupation of Nanchang, the capital of Kiangsi province, a communique issued by the Japanese Expeditionary Force to Central China at 8.15 pin. announced.
The capture of the strategically vital city came one wee! almost to the hour, after japanese forees had launched their offensive crossing the Siu River, west of Yungsiu on the Kiukiang-Nanchang Railway, under cover of an intensive artillery Barrage.
'A lightning advance over a distance of 65, kim, in seven days featured this Chiang Kai-shek. Prior to the start operation, the largest scale offensive for the Japanese campaign in Kiangsi since the attack upon the Wuhan the Chekiang-Kiangs! Railway was triple cities in October last year. the most important route. for the Ina communique the Japanese transportation of arms and ammuni-military authorities announced that tion from abroad, Sun flags were seen in Nanchang at "The line starts at Sinoshan opposite 405 pin., according to aerial observ Hangchow and connects with the ation.
Canton-Hankow Railway at Changsha According to a Domei dispatch via Nanchang. Slaoshan is the only from an unnamed Japanese Army alt Seaport left In the area not occupied base, the Chinese resorted to "scorch by the Japanese ed earth" tactics as their rearguard largest "Chinese munitions evacuated Nanchang. Fires could be plants in Hengyan in Hunay seen raging in various parts of the Their raw materials by m city, pilots reported. railway and Chinese forces round Meantime, Japanese flying columns Lis wenchow, Nanking and Wuhu had succeeded in culting the Chekiang~ been obtaining reinforcements and Klangst railway, vital transportation supplies from Nanchang.—Domel. artery. in Central China. The With the Japanese Forces the message said? was severed at a Besieging Nanchang, Mar. 27. point 8 kam. southeast of Wanshekal, Japanese army engineers this morn Junction of the Nanchang spur line Ing were feverishly engaged and the main railway, in addition to making emergency repairs to the various other points, Chungcheng bridge, spanning the Successive crossings of the Kan Kan River, damaged by the Chinese River in junks under cover of yesterday morning as Japanese tanks artillery fire were effected at Sheng-began crossing the 1,005-metre span. michie and Tsengkia, 20 and 25 kin.
'With Japanese artillery" laying. above Nanchang, from 4pm. on thunderous protective barray March 26. Powerful Japanese deiach-Chinese fire directed at the ments drove to the area southwest of from the western bank of the river Nanchang and' attacked Chinese was desultory. The damaged section, troops retreating from the city.
One "detachment gained the yeast pected to be repaired by this after-bank of the Kan River at a point 15 oon.
The bridge leads from the southern extremity of the Nanchang-Kiukiang oilway directly into the former walled city of Nanchang.
"The Chinese waited unfit the last minute to throw in the swire detonating the explosive charge lai at the centre of the bridge, Japanese tanks were already rumbling were: when the blast occurred. None the tanks, however, was Gen. Chiang Kah-shel tact' by the Chinese the purpose of. allowing Chine troops deployed along the 5 of the railway to retreat towards Nanchang.
'The ¢apid Japanese advance thro\ Fengsin, to the west, whereby. th Chinese' forces. were com flanked, this bridge futile. "The Chinese forces ie western bank of Lake Poyang, been entirely encircled Chinese Counter-attack Chungking, Mar. 27.
The main body of the Japanese forces on the Chinese left wing, headed by over 20 tanks, has made a sudden" thrust to. the" south-east {com Fengsin. In the. direction of Nanenang, according to Chinese ports, jupanese van. guards, the dd, hive cut the hightray West of Wanehung and have seeched: "Wane Shoukung, and. Wushanpa, "The Chinese defenders of Nanchang ave said to have launched in desperate sault-on Japanese positions As a Tesully severe fighting is reported'
going on immediately "west. of "The Chinese retroted south-enough this Tatler road may 'Chinese feld despatches claim that six Japanese tanka have. been. de troyed" ana one' Japanese aeroplane hot down by" the Chinese in' this onan Cities Bombed kan. south of Tsengkia at 5 pin, Various detachments converged ott the city from several directions. In the areas west of the Kan River a detachment which started from Feng: rin early on March 26. attacked the walled city of Kaoan, about 30 kin. southwest of Fengsin, also at 5 pan Japanese forces advancing on Wuning killed 3,700 Chinese and took TiO. prisoners, including one major and one captain, from March 22 to 24, Seizing 39 machine guns, 950 rifes and 12 trench mortars.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.