AIR TERROR

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 23060, 10 June 1938, Page 11

AIR TERROR

CANTON'S ORDEAL ENEMY PERSISTING CASUALTIES INCREASED INCENDIARY BOMBS WIDESPREAD FIRES By Telegraph—Press Association —Copyright (Received June 9, 10.45 p.m.) LONDON, June 9 Once more it was midnight before the terror-stricken people of Canton had a respite from Japanese air raiders, who added at least 200 to 300 to the toll of killed and wounded.

Despatches from the city state that the anger of the inhabitants was revealed by their firing of rifles and revolvers at low swooping Japanese, who were using both high explosive and incendiary bombs.

The latter caused widespread fires at Wongsha. Firemen heroically fought the flames under constant attacks from the air.

Some of the incendiary bombs dropped within 400 yards of Shameen, the international quarter. One hundred bombs were rained on the Government's headquarters, the Sun Yat Sen Hall, which miraculously remained intact.

Aeroplanes again appeared at 5.45 a.m. and 7.30 a.m. to-day—the 11th successive day. They were received with vigorous fire from anti-aircraft guns. The airmen dropped no bombs, but later they bombed what remained of the deserted Wongsha railway depot. The naval spokesman at Tokio, RearAdmiral Noda, expressed the Japanese Navy's satisfaction with the progress of the Canton bombing.

The appalling total of casualties at Canton due to the Japanese air raids can be gauged by the fact that it is reported from that city that the hospitals there cannot deal with the situation.

The plight ot the thousands of injured is terrible and exhausted foreign and Chinese doctors are on duty for 24 hours at a stretch.

In spite of this many of the wounded are dying through lack of attention. Isolated cases of cholera are reported. Numerous dead have not been buried.

LEAVING HANKOW

CHINESE GOVERNMENT FLIGHT OF CIVILIANS ALL TRANSPORT CROWDED (Received June 10, 1.15 a.m.) HANKOW, June 9 The seat of the Chinese Government is being removed from Hankow. It is not known where Marshal Chiang Kaishek will establish his headquarters, but it is surmised the military centre will be somewhere in Honan, and ultimately at Yunnan-fu. The civil administration will be centred at Chungking. The civilian population of Hankow is crowding all forms of west-bound and south-bound transport. » Bitter fighting is in progress at Chengchow. The Chinese admit that the Japanese are only 15 miles from the city. The Japanese predict that its fall is imminent.

HEAVY TOLL OF WAR KILLED TOTAL 750,000 SHANGHAI, June 8 It is estimated that the losses of the Chinese and Japanese in the war, which has been in progress almost a year, total 750,000 killed and 1,750,000 wounded.