GRIM SIGHT

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Volume 81, Issue 29, 28 October 1937, Page 5

GRIM SIGHT

-lJreS8 Assn.—Copyristlit 1

Burning oi Chapei MERCILESS KILLING British Soldiers Risk Lives to Rescue Wounded FIGHT AGAINST FLAMES

fR» TolflfiraDh-

(Received 28, 1.5 p.m,) LONDON, Oct. 27, The" Times Shahgliai correspondent says • "Chapei was a grim" sight throughout the dhy. It was covered by towering masses of thick dark clouds shot with scarlet gUn flaskes, the flames revealing the furnace beneatlx, Tonight the clouds, iniles long, form a dark ceiling reflecting the inferho in which firemett are doing their utmost to prevent the flames trorn spreading to the Settlement, the Japanese are rutlilessly setting fire to evety building suspected of harbouting Chinese snipers. "TVatcliers across SoochoW Creek saw small parties 0f Chinese rearguards defending tliemselves, mostly with ha.ndgrenades and machine-guns, against the advaticing Japanese, who approacaed warily, feafing mines, and mercilessly shot down.and bayonettiog Clnnese whose amniunition was exliausted. "Jessfield bridge is a terrible spectacle. It is covered With dead and wounded refugees, Soldiers atteihpting to reach safety wero mowed doWxi witli machine-guns. ' "TJIster riflemen, headed by the Londoner, De&mond Kiely, repeatfedly crawled along the bridge, risking their lives and resctied 25 WoUiided men, five of w'hicli number were killed and five again wounded as tliey Were being rescued. Tliere were no British casualties." . . The correspondent states tliat an mcident of another kind has eonfitmed tio reports of the orderly retifetfleiit of the Chinese and ifidicates that the Chinese eoldier has reformed his character, Multitudes of refugees, terrified at the tinceasifig Japanese bombing, were frantically endeavouring to pass the barrier to reacli the Settlement," the correspondent adds. "The TJlstetmen, who had been ordered to refuse them admittance, good-humOuredly, persistetttly but with the greatest diffictilty stemmed the rushes until Chinese pickets on the other side of the barrier intervened and persuaded the refugees to seek Safety elsewhere. Then they helped the Ulsterinen to rebuild their barricades, thereby solidly cdntributing to the aiready good relations between the British and Chinese armies, "On the contrary, the Japanese} in bombing a train in the vicinity of tho barrioade whote Rifieman MoGowan Was killed on October 24-, dropped four bombs within the perimeter of the Settlement and maChine-gUnned the British posts evei-y time they flew over, The plafie was presumably & inilitary and nofc a naval machine. "T'he British cotiUnander formally protested at tliis repetition of aerial inefticiency. "Rrivafce A. G. Adams, of the Royal Welsh Fusiliers, who- was posted in the North Station seddon, was grazed by a inachine-gun bullet on the cheek. He remaiued at his post." The Japanese announce the capture of Chenfu. Three Japanese pianes machinegunned and killed 200 Chinese refugees who were attempting to reach the Western Settlement.