SHANGHAI HORROR

Hokitika Guardian, 14 September 1937, Page 2

SHANGHAI HORROR

DEATH FELL FROM SKY. A STIRRING ACCOUNT. SHANGHAI, August 15. Things have been happening here. The climax was yesterday, when Chinese bombing planes raided us, killed 600 and wounded 1000. Many of the wounded are dying now. The war started last Thursday. Tho Chinese built a boom of steamers and junks opposite the Chinese bund late in the afternoon, blocking the Whangpoo. This was to protect the Chinese Kiangnan arsenal and the Naval Dockyards from Japanese attack by water.

Then the Chinese troops came in to reinforce the Peace (Preservation Corps, and Chinese and Japanese troops poured into Chapei.

British and American Consuls instructed their people to get out of the northern area into the settlement, and to leave Hungjao. This exodus from the north jammed the roads into the Settlement. Everything was chaos. Hordes poured out of the streets and alleyways with their pit.ful belongings piled up on every conceivable form of conveyance. Every thoroughfare was crammed with pushing, sweating, suffering humanity as they f reed their way into the. Foreign Concession.

The wild search for sanctuary was made more frantic by the news that the Settlement gates were to close, and that five new Japanese warships had arrived at the Whangpoo along with 1000 men for the Japanese landing party. Thursday closed with ugly forebodings..

On Black Friday, the 13th, the fight started in Chapei. Early in the afternoon we heard intermittent firing over Hangkow 'Dark. Chinese and J panese had clashed on the holders of the Chapei, directly behind the headquirteis of the Japanese landing party. Late in the afternoon the Japanese began to bomb the Chinese. Fire broke out all over the place in Chapei, now an empty city area. trench mortar shells started to fire.

All night the lurid glow of flames lit the sky. Guns roared. It was bedlam. We could not sleep, and our nerves were frayed.

From my apartment 1 got a good view of the fire and the spurts of lightning tliat heralded a shell. live or ten seconds later there was a deafen ng crash as the shell burst, killing and devastating.

Meanwhile the Japanese brought two of their destroyers into action. These shelled round about the Civic Centre—the administrative centre of the Government of Greater Shanghai—and the University of Shanghai, both near YangViepoo, where our plant is. Yes, truly, it was Black Friday, but Saturday was worse.

As usual, I went to the office about 6.15 a.m. and found my loyal workmen ready to start. Only four wen away. They could not get through the barricade.

At 10 a.m., four Chinese bombing planes appeared over Yangtzepao. They were making for the Japanese mills in which, Chinese allege, Japanese forces were concentrated, along with war materials and ammunition.

They dropped bombs. One hit the Shanghai Cotton Manufacturing Co., a Japanese concern, 500 yards away from our plant. The explosion smashed their boiler to pieces, but did not kill one of the 2000 Chinese men, women, and children working about the plant. Two other bombs fell in the river facing the bund of the Compound, missing their object—a Japanese ship said to be full of munitions. This was our baptism of fire.

We were peaceful for a while then, and I took advantage of the lull to dismiss my men. I told them they ought to get into the International French Settlement, as Yangtzepoo was in the war zone. They did not want to leave the Compound alone, because they thought it was sale. So I went with them on loot five miles to the north side of Soochow Creek, which was supposed to he comparatively secure. How secure it was you will see from what followed.

At 1.30 p.m. two Japanese planes, catapulted from Japanese warships, tried to bomb the Hungjao aerodrome. Three bombs fell inside the field, bu: did little damage. After this, one o! the planes went hack to its base and the other flew over the Noith Station, clearing the roof by 2oft. The. Chinese apparently had no anti-airoralt guns on top of the building—the plane flew on unscathed.

We. were now working up to the horror of the day, Tho Chinese were trying to drive the Japanese out of the Whangpoo. They started at 4,30

p.m. Suddenly two bombs from a Chinese plane fell in Nanking road on the Palace Hotel and on the Cathay Hotel, turning this well-known spot into a shambles.

The road was littered with dead, dying, and wounded —Chinese and foreigners. Indescribable carnage. I ismeinbered bodies were piled up all ever the place. I was standing in my apartment looking out of the window, only halt a mile away, and saw the planes come up in formation. They came through a barrage of terrific anti-aircraft firing from the Tdzumo. They came straight towards our house, and when they were over the Nanking Hoad, I saw the two bombs begin to drop. Chinese authorities say the Japanese anti-aircraft fire released them. This seems a pretty thin excuse. Tfiev fell and a sheet of flame leapt about the building of the Cathay Ho-

tel. It was honibie. Then came t.e explosion. Lt tore at the ears ana nerves. Even mis building was shaken. Two other bombs came down. They .'ell on the Great World Amusement—centre of Chinese liie—at the corner of Avenue VII and Thibet Road. One moment the coiner was full ol life and movement, the next it was full of inert bodies and shattered buildings. They say the death roll here totalled 1047 and that 303 were injured. Foreigners, as well as Chinese, were in the, crowd. Late last evening 1 went but and walked over the devastated place as far as I was allowed. I saw an appalling sight. I don't want to speak about it. Curfew compels us to be indoois Irom 10 p.m. to f> a.m. This may be my last chance ot writing. Nothing is to be gained by going hysterical. It is best to keep calm. We hope that someone will find a way out of the trouble, but it is a ver\ meagre hope. Britain has asked t’mt Shanghai should be excluded tiom the Sino-Japanese hostilities, but Japan says that Britain is asking her to do the impossible.