RED CROSS BOMBING

Evening Post, Volume CXXI, Issue 4, 6 January 1936, Page 7

RED CROSS BOMBING

CRAPHIC ACCOUNT

"A SCENE OF CARNAGE"

DOCTOR'S HEROISM

Unilcil I'ress 'Aasodiillun —By Eledi'ic 'tele-

Ci-iilili— CoiiyrlKlii

ADDIS AI3ABA, January 4

"It was an utterly deliberate act. The Italians for several days, previously machine-gunned all round the ambulance. I was in the operating tent on the morning of the bombing. Suddenly a perfect tornado of bombs'and bullets rained clown. I had just time to see two lines of three aeroplanes each enfilading the ambulance, when I was wounded and lost consciousness. When I awoke it was to see the most terrible scene of carnage imaginable. Scores of dead, dying, and wounded were around me. I heard shrieks and groans amid the crackle of blazing tents." This graphic description of the Italian bombing of the Swedish Red Cross ambulance was given by Dr. Hylander, who arrived from Dolo today.

Aeroplanes brought from Dolo Dr. Hylander and his assistant, Dr. Lundstrom, and many of those wounded in the air raid. Dr. Lundstrom was severely wounded and died en route to

hospital.

Continuing his account, Dr. Hylandcr said: "There must have been more than 200 bombs and thousands of rounds fired from machine-guns. Dr. Lundstrom, though severely wounded, kept crying, 'I must attend to the wounded.' Ras Desta's men rushed up immediately and began to transport the wounded to cover.

"There was absolutely no excuse for the raid. Red Cross emblems were prominently displayed. The Italian allegation that Abyssinian chiefs and soldiers were taking refuge in the ambulance is completely baseless.

"My assistants say the Italians flew very low knowing they were immune from fire from us. There was no place for the staff and patients to shelter. We had no guns and could only wave white flags.

"It was wholesale murder. Beds containing wounded were blown 30 feet into the air. Two patients on the operating table were killed instantaneously. Many wounded were halfburied by earth and stones. Dr. Lundstrom had part of his face blown away.

"After the bombing, in which two ambulances were blown up. the aeroplanes circled and returned with a machine-gun unit."

The transport of the wounded from Dolo was a wonderful feat on the part of the Swedish airman, Baron yon Rosen, who piloted a Fokker ambulance aeroplane over unknown and difficult country.