JAPANESE IGNORE PROTESTS

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Volume 81, Issue 3, 27 September 1937, Page 7

JAPANESE IGNORE PROTESTS

— Press Association-

309 Chinese Killed and 400 Wounded

FIVE RAIDING PLANES SHOT DOWN

(By Telegraph-

-Copyright)

(Received 27, 8.46 a.m.) SHANGHAI, September 26. Despite official protests on the part of mM>n.y Governments Igd evidence of world-wide horror and indigna^ion, Japanese planes carried out five raids on Nanking to-day. The invaders were greeted with a thunderous burst of antiaircraft fire. One of the foremost machines burst into flai^«s and plunged to the earth in a t/ail of fire. Fascinated crowds, ignv>ring the risk they were running, watched the spectacle and shouted with delirious joy, in which foreigners taking refuge in the Embassies joined when two more planes were shot down. The second raid occurred a little later. Reversing their usual tactics of bombing from a great height, the Japanese dived at a terrific speed and bombed the Hsiankwan district. They concentrated on a big electricity works situated there, but the attack cost them another two machines. The marksmanship of the Chinese has improved tremendously since the raids commenced. An official estimate places to-day 's casualties at 300 killed and 400 wounded. Ninety-six Japanese planes participated and dropped 200 bombs. Enormous damage was caused in tlie shopping and business centres. After the raids were over, the Japanese Naval spokesman claimed that military objectives, including the electricity works, a wireless station and the Ministry of Finance, had been badly damaged. The appalling destruction caused by the rain of bombs on Hankow is now only becoming evident. An area approximately S00 feet by 150 feet is a horrifying shambles. Pieces of bodies are strewn everywhere. In face of the reports which are reaching Shangliai in grimmer detail every hour, f oreign correspondents did not appreciate a lec- ( 3ure from the spokesman of the Japanese Embassy to-day. The spokesman declared: "It is most deplorable that the world has been given the impression that the Japanese planes are bombing Chinese cities indiscriminately, as has been repeatedly stated. Only Jiilitary objectives are bombed." Japanese planes raided Canton for an hour to-day. Chapei and other Chinese positions in Shangliai were also bombed.