80 PLANES RAID NANKING

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 211, 22 September 1937, Page 5

80 PLANES RAID NANKING

-PreBS AsBoeiation.)

Government Buildings As . Targets CIVILIANS SUFFER MOST

(By Telegraph-

WELLINGTON, his Day. The Chinese Consul has received the , following cablegram from Nanking: — k. "Japanese planes nnmbering 80 at- ^ tacked Nanking and its environs this morning. The attack was commenced by 12 planes approaching the city, and shortly after they were reinforced by another dozen# The attack was fur-- . tker intensified by a third body of 25 Japanese planes. Later a furtker body of planes joined in the attack. The general objectives seemed to be Government edifiees. "In general, the damage done to the intended objectives was negligible, civilian abodes and lives suffering most# "Tke invaders were beaten b&ek skortly before 1 p.m. *'The casualties inflicted on tke invaders kave not been ascertained. I( is believed tkat two japanese planes were brought dcwn# ''Tke japanese Air Force suffered tke loss of at least seven planes as the result of the two raids at Nanking' yesterday. Five Japanese ainnen wefe taken prisoners, wkile the number killed ha& not been ascertained. Two Chinese planes were damaged, resulting in two airmen being killed and five in--j jnted. "Tke Japanese rumour that tke ChineSe Government is contempiating tke withdrawal of its diplomatic and consttlar missions from Japan is officially # d^nifid."