Norwich bulletin., 1920-11-06
On the Battle Front.

We left Paotingfu at midnight and ar rived at Gen. Wu's headquarters on his special train at Sung Lin Tien railway station just before daybrcak. The ChihH front line was about two miles north of the station. Fighting had been going on continuously since noon of the day be- fore. When the battle started, the Anfu troops held positions enveloning both of Gen Wu's Hanks. He placed his young est and least experienced troops in the centre, which his two brigades of vet erans, the best troops in the Chinese ar my, one on each flank.
 On the other hand, the Anfu comman- der, Gen. Ch'd T'ung Feng Gan old friend of mine, as he was for some time head of the National Military Academy at Paetingfu) had placed his best troops, tke Anfu division. in the centre while his less reliable troops were on his Hanks. His own headquarters were at ChoChou, six miles north of Sung Lin Tien. The Anfu second line was at Liu Ii Ho, ten miles north of Cho Chou. and the e. serves there were under the command of Tuan Chin Kuei the nephew of Yuan Chi Jui. Gen. Wu, stalking all on the result of the result of the first battle, had no reserves, all troops being thfowh into action as soon as they could be brought up the railway
 Bravery of Chinese Troops.
 The battle started Thursday noon with attacks by Gen. Wu. He drove straight out on both Hanks against the encircling Anfu wings, and after desperate fight ing, especially on the left, succeeded in driving the enemy back from their com manding position, until by evening the line had been practically straightened out I saw a number of dead brought
 
 and clothing burned by powder where they had literally thrown themselves ol the Anfu machine guns, hindering the ! working of them long enough to give | their comrades a chance to oveTpowel the gunners and take the guns Against | the bravery of such men, fighting for a real cause, the Japanese paid Anfu l troops were powerless and had to re 1 treat
 1 It was at this juncture that the ma 1 jor and arrived on the scene. Gen, WU was out inspecting the positions on tn, right flank when We arrived, but haC i left orders that we were to be made as conf -table as possible and that WI were to be allowed to go wherever ard 1 see whatever We pleased. The bettl had been kept up all night, and the ron of the Anfu artillery, mixed with th rattle of machine guns and rifles wa, continuing without letup. Gen. yFu va short of artillery ammunition, so hi field guns were using very little, but a he had given instructions 10 fire onl, when the enemy troops could be clearl. seen, when they were used it was with i telling effect, So that the Anfu losse from artillery fire were actually muci greater than those of the ghlhli troops at a cost of hardly one per cent. of the amount of ammunition. Both sides wer using only shrapneL
 Visit to the Trenches.
 As soon IS we had breakfasted Maj Philoon expressed desire to see tn trenches, so Major Fan, or Gen Nu staff was detailed to take us out E keeping under cover of village N managed to get safely to the center c the hattie line, which was in eonlman of an old friend of mme Gen Wang cne of the largest c3nbibu tors to ou P2otingfu Association He detailed or of his aides to lead us out 10 the mos advanced post, which was only a shol : distance from the Anfu trenches. Her ! therc Wsr q couple of small field gur } hidden aaa nj clGmp of bushes an : suDporte quad of infantry The
 had no oo1lec.ed trench system, bl each man had scooped out shallo , ditch for himself, which protected hi from rifle fire as long as he lay down. t Luckily for us We had arrived durir
 a lull so there was only desultory riff