RED CROSS AGAIN BOMBED

Press, Volume LXXII, Issue 21727, 9 March 1936, Page 9

RED CROSS AGAIN BOMBED

DISGUST at ITALIAN ATTACK CONFIDENCE THAT ACT WAS DELIBERATE “DISGRACED THE WHITE RACE” J (X7SLEED ASSOCIATION---COPYRIGHT./ (Received March 8, 7.21 pin*.) ADDIS ABABA, March 7. An official message states that the British ambulance at Kworam was again bombed on Thursday and four more patients, wounded in the original bombing, died. The second bombing caused no casualties among the patients or personnel who were previously placed under cover. Some reports say 20 natives were killed pear the camp. An eye-witness from D.essie says the additional patients had to be refused treatment despite severe wounds, because all the Iprrips were needed to evacuate the inmat.es of the hospital to safety. Dr. C. J. M. Melly (senior medical officer) declared, “I had 50 men dying on my hands as the result of the despicable action of the Italians, who disgraced the white race.” A message from London says that the Kworam correspondent of “The Times” witnessed the entire bombardment of the British Red Cross, Bn4 Re unhesitatingly declares that it was deliberate. The bomb which destroyed the Red Cross tents also demolished the correspondent’s tent apd incinerated his motor-lorry.

Doctor’s Astonishment It is now revealed that at the time of the raid on the British ambulance yesterday. Dr. Melly was

performing a delicate abdominal % operation when a bomber circled the capip and commenced bombing the Red Cross station. The correspondent of “The Times” and other correspondents narrowly escaped bombs which burst nearby. Astonished, the doctor shouted: '‘The dirty pigs; they’re bombing

It was impossible to treat the dozens of new patients arriving as ad the undamaged lorries were required to evacuate the earlier cases The Emperor personally telephoned to Dr. Melly in these woi’ds: •I cannot find words to express my extreme sorrow.”

Dr. Brown, th. International Red Cross delegate at Addis Ababa, telegraphed to Geneva: “Premeditation of the Italian action is undeniable.”

An eye-witness of the bombing, telegraphing from Bessie, says that the Union Jack droops dejectedly over a scene of utter desolation at Kworam, where a throng of sick and wounded peasants, women apd children, suffering from horrible lashes and gas burns, mourn their dead.

A vast hole gapes in the centre of the Red Cross ground flag and the wreckage of the operating tent flaps over a blood-stained table on which the surgeons continued to Work after the bombing, amputating the legs of two patients who were wounded a second time-

BRITAIN PROTESTS TO ITALY

KILLING OF RED CROSS OFFICER ADDIS ABABA, March 6. Major Gerald Burgoyne, a former British officer, was killed by a bomb from an Italian aeroplane while acting as transport officer for the Ethiopian Red Cross which was retiring with Has Kebada’s troops from Amba Alagi to Kworam, It is understood that Major Burgoyne’s caravan bore a prominent Bed Cross flag.

Major Burgoyne served in the 3rd Dragoon Guards from 1896 to 1910, and with the 4th Irish Rifles until J9?O, Me saw service in the South African War and the European WarHe was 62 years of age. The British Ambassador at Rome (Sir Erie Dr unamend) has been instructed to lodge an immediate protest with the Italian Government .against the bombing of the ambulance yesterday. The Italian Government is being asked to order an ! immediate investigation and in the . meantime to issue the strictest instructions against a recurrence of 1 the incident.

EXPLANATION IN ROME

denial of responsibility

FOR OFFICER’S DEATH

ROME, March o

It is officially explained that the bombing of Major Burgoyne’s column happened because the column passed an important crossroads assigned to the bombers as their objective. The Italian point of view is that Major was merely an Abyssinian officer, which precludes special enquiries because Italy docs not concern herself with enemy casualties.