LIVELY AIR DUELS OVER CHINESE CITY.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIX, Issue 3, 5 January 1938, Page 7

LIVELY AIR DUELS OVER CHINESE CITY.

RAIDS ON HANKOW.

goviet and American T^'lots

Fight Japs

PANIC AMONG PEOPLE. United Press Association.—Copyright. (Received 12.30 p.m.) LONDON", January 4. Forty Japanese 'planes raided the aerodrome at Hankow. Three Chinese were killed and 16 injured. The entire population took refuge under ground.

Chaos reigned in the city when a large fleet of Japanese war 'planes heavily bombed the 'drome. This is the first raid since the Government offices were transferred from Nanking.

The first alarm was given at 1 p.m. and sent panic-stricken crowds hurrying to dug-outs and cellars. About 75 bombs were dropped, the raiders working three times from one end to the other at the aerodrome, which was reduced to an appalling scene of wreckage.

Hanyang arsenal was also attacked, but was not hit. Raiders warily remained at a great height, beyond the range of anti-aircraft guns, which sent streams of shells skywards.

There was one spectacular fight between a Chinese and a Japanese 'plane. The Chinese was damaged, but the pilot was manoeuvring to land when the Japanese, seeing his opportunity, dived with full power on and machine-guns blazing and zoomed up again and attacked the stricken Chinese, whose 'plane crashed in flames on the arsenal of the aerodrome.

The pilot survived and was not leriously hurt.

Most bombs intended for the aerodrome fell wide of the mark. Although there were over 20 'planes in the aerodrome only three obsolete models and one bomber are reported to have been destroyed.

Eight Chinese 'planes, several piloted by Russians, engaged the raiders, but only overtook them some miles from the city. The result is not known.

"I think I got him," said an American pilot, describing how he waited for the Japanese to leave Hankow then flew at 13,000 feet and overtook the raiders. He dived down from the clouds and opened fire with Both machine-guns on a Japanese 'plane, which immediately dived, disappeared in the clouds and was lost to sight.

UNITY OF CHINESE.

Drastic Japanese Reforms

Stiffen Morale.

UNREMITTING OPPOSITION.

TOKYO, January 4.

Japan finds little" comfort from' the drastic reforms of the Chinese Central Government. It is reported that the inclusion of outstanding Communist leaders is worrying Japanese statesmen and military officers.

The general opinion is that the reorganisation has brought about greater unity between every faction in China on a basis of unremitting opposition to Japan. There is 110 indication of the collapse of the Chinese morale.

All Japan realises that when China announces she will pursue prolonged guerilla warfare it is not an idle boast, «o Japan is preparing to maintain this life-draining and money-squandering •truggle indefinitely.

PEACE IMPOSSIBLE.

CHINA'S BEPLY TO GERMANY

(Received 2.30 p.m.) SHANGHAI, January 4

Highest Chinese Government sources •t Hankow, informed the German Ambassador to China, Herr Oskar von Trautmann, that "peace is impossible" on the conditions reported to have been submitted by Japan through the German Ambassador at Tokyo.