MOCK WARFARE IN JAPAN

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22391, 12 October 1934, Page 14

MOCK WARFARE IN JAPAN

NIGHT AIR MANOEUVRES A Christchurch business man (says tho Christchurch Press) has received from a. friend living in Japan an interesting account of a mock air raid carried out by day and night over the city of Kobe. The letter, from Kobe, stated:— “ Last week there was a mock air raid manoeuvre for three days and nights. From 8 o’clock in the evening all the districts between Nara and Kobe had to be kept in darkness —all lights were out, and we had to be prepared for an air attack by the supposed enemies’ aeroplanes. We stayed up on the roof in the evening to see the things that went on. All the important buildings were camouflaged with paint mats, and nets to escape from the bombing. Tear gas was thrown in some places, and masks were distributed in some districts. Of course, Osaka and Kobe were the centre of the attack, but many aeroplanes flew past just over our roof. We felt what it would be like if it were really war. At night the searchlight lit up the sky, but for the rest all was in pitch darkness. Even the trains, trams and buses had to go to and fro without a single light visible.”