"BLACK SATURDAY" AT SHANGHAI

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Volume 81, Issue 9, 4 October 1937, Page 5

"BLACK SATURDAY" AT SHANGHAI

lJrusB Aasocialion.)

Refugee Tells of Her Experiences BOMBS IN SETTLEMENT

(By Teleeraph

A U uil-bAJN E, Tiiis JJay. Two refugeea from Shaiigliai, Mrs C. F. Taylor and lier son Rodney, aged five, arrived by tbe Aorangi. Mrs Taylor lived for 14 years at iSlianghai^ wliere her husband is an clectricai engineer. She is to visit relatives at Ihmedin. Mrs Taylor said that she had- known four wars in Ohina but that the present was the most dreadful of all. She graphically deseribed "Black Saturday" in Shanghai, when. Chinese aeroplanes aimed bombs at the Japanese flagship, lying off the Japanese consulate, the bombs falling in the International Settlement and the Japaneso anti-aircraft opening fire. She told of the heavy loss of life that occurred in the crowdod streets of Shanghai. The British Navy, Mrs Taylor said, had played a wonderful part in evaeuating British nationals, women and children being taken by gunboat down the river to the P. and O. liner Eajputana. On the way down (here was constaht firing by the opposing forces. Two thousand women and children were crammed on the Eajputana on the run to Hongkong. Passengers who did not have beds slept on paper on the deck. Some women passengers could not speak; they walked about with wild eyes, their minds a complete blank. At Hongkong the British community did everything possible. A special camp was opened for rcfugees. It was impossible for days to get news of friends. Her home was in the French Concession. She had to walk out and leave everything and was only allowed to take one trunk. She got in touch with her husband from Hongkong, but since had not heard from him.