REP CROSS BOMBED

Gisborne Times, Volume LXXXIV, Issue 12804, 7 March 1936, Page 5

REP CROSS BOMBED

BRITISH AMBULANCE. SEVEN PATIENTS KILLED. CAMP CLEARLY MARKED. POSITION WAS NOTIFIED ON MONDAY. OJ.i’.A. by Elec. To 1 .. Oovrickt) i LONDON, March 5. A report from Addis Ababa states that ati Italian bomber dropped at least ,42 high explosive bombs on a British ambulance encamped near Quoram. Seven patients were killed in three tents'. The tents struck include an operating theatre, which wa s destroyed. The plane circled the area 10 times at a low height above the camp, which was clearly marked with a 40ft. Bed Cross and flag. The position of the ambulance was notified to the International Red Cross Society on Monday w'lth the request that Italy be. advised. l)r. Molly, the senior medical officer, has sent a full report of the bombing, to the British Government. The news caused intense indignation in Addis Ababa.

ITALIAN VERST ON, BOMBED AS REPRISAL FOR ATTACK. DID NOT' KNOW CAMP WAS BRITISH. AMBULANCE. ‘ OJ.P.A. by Elec. Tel. Copyright). LONDON, March 5. In connection with, the bombing of the British Red Cross unit at Quoram in Abyssinia, reports state that the Italian planes circled over the camp before dropping the bombs and afterwards from a low altitude, inked the site with machine-gun fire. It is believed that there were no British among the small number of casualties. According to Italian versions, the British ambulance was bombed as a reprisal, but in ignomnoe of its character. Jt i s officially stated that an Italian aeroplane swooped down to inspect cases marked with the Red Cross which were being unloaded from a column of SO lorijes near an Abyssinian camp to the south of Quoram on Tuesday. It was greeted with anti-aircraft gunfire, but returned to the base without retaliation. The plane revisited the scene on Wednesday and dropped bombs, when it was again fired; upon and the, fuselage was Hit. The aviator concluded that the cases contained ammunition, because numerous coses exploded after the bombing.

OFFICIAL BRITISH EXPLAN ATION. AMBULANCE ONLY MOVED A WEEK AGO. NO TIME TO NOTIFY MILITARY AUTHORITIES. ITALIANS TAKE NO RESPONSE ILTTY. (C.P.A. by Elec. Tel Copyright) LONDON. March 5. The British Ambassador at Rome informed the Italian Government only today that the ambulance had heen removed from Dosse to Quorum a week ago. Thus, the time was not sufficient to notify the military authorities, who had not- supposed that an ambulance was in the vicinity. The Italian Government spokesman •said that effective air raids had been carried out in the vicinity after headquarters had been informed that an important munitions depot had been organised there. Thy Italians could not be held responsible for the accidental bombing of the ambulance since they were unaware of its presence. Moreover article VII of the Red Cross convention declared that whenever a Red Cross unit committed. ,«n act of war, it lost the Red Cross immunity. This was considered to apply to the Q«aram incident.

BRITISH OFFICER’S ACCOUNT. BOMBING EVIDENTLY INTENTIONAL. PLANES FREQUENTLY FLEW OVER ITNTT. (U.P.A. by Elec. Tel. Ooy right). (Received March G, 5.5 p.m.). ADDIS ABABA, March 5. Dn. A. J. M. Molly reports that aeroplanes circled over the British Red Ci’osj. unit nine times and flew over the camp, which is square, instead of circular, like the Abyssinian camps. One of fifty bombs dropped stitick the Red Cross ground flag forty feet square, in the middle of the camp, destroying the operating theatre and sterilising tent s and three ward tents, and killing three Abyssinian patients and destroying motor) lorries. It Was evidently intentional, as aeroplanes previously had frequently flown over the unit; The nearest military cncainpment was two miles away. An Abyssinian communique states ‘‘An aeroplane; after bombing Quorum; and killing four children and two women peasants, flew low over the British camp, 1 after ascertaining that it contained no rifles and antiaircihft guns. Four patients were wounded in addition to three killed. Three Kenya orderlies were wounded

LONDON DOCTORS PROTEST. “N EAR INO BARBARIC CHAOS,” ; (U.P.A. by Elec. Tel. Copyright). (Received, March 6, 5.5 p.m.) LONDON. March 5. Doctors a lie sending a memorandum to the Italian Ambassador, declaring that if the Red Cross is to be destroyed,' mankind will recede farther towards barbatac chaos, THE ATTACK ON THE , 'SWEDISH RED CROSS. ACCIDENT DENIED. INDEMNITV DEMANDED. (U.P.A. by Elec. Tel. Copyright) (Received March G. 5.5 p.m.). STOCKHOLM. March 5. Tho Government. replying to an Italian disclaimer, refuses to admit that tho bombing of the Swedish Red Gross on December 12 was accidental. Corroborative information shows many bombs fell in the middle of the damp, killing and wounding members. The weather was clear and there teas not other ten within miles. Pamphlets by General Graziani were dropped stating that the raid was a reprisal. Sweden demands the cessation of raids and also an indemnity.