TERRIFIC STRAFING

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 80, Issue 246, 16 October 1937, Page 9

TERRIFIC STRAFING

CHAPEI POSITIONS Casualties In Foreign Settlement MISPLACED BOMBS (By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright) Received Oct. 15, 5.5 p.m. SHANGHAI, Oct. 14. The air activity on the Shanghai front continues unabated. Aeroplanes gave the Chinese positions at Chapei a terrific “strafing.” A bomb fell in the MarKham Road, inside the International Settlement, destroying a tram and killing at least forty-live civilians. The whole of the occupants of the International Settlement were forced to take cover from flying shrapnel. The bombing and shelling are the fiercest yet experienced. Great fires are burning at many points outside the Settlement. A Chinese counter-offensive has commenced, and Japanese ’planes went up after dark for the first time to meet the attackers.

Two outposts on Soochow Creek manned by United States marines were hit by a shower of splinters from a bomb, and five Americans were wounded. The Japanese expressed regret and ordered their airmen to be more careful.

Japanese shell splinters struck the United States flagship Augusta tins morning, injuring an American sailor. The Japanese authorities apologised. Shrapnel splinters also fell on the decks of British warships. Japanese troops have occupied Suiyuan and also Kweihua, the old capital of the province. Other forces are pressing on rapidly with the Yellow River offensive. Chinese Launch Attack. The Chinese, after a terrific artillery and air duel, went over the top on a long front north of the city with a fury difficult to credit after the long weeks of exposure. The mechanised units, hitherto kept secret, charged the Japanese lines. Other troops, armed with traditional sworts, fought like madmen. Warplanes and artillery joined in the battle. In the city the people, panic- , stricken, fled from the low-flying ’planes and shrapnel. A Japanese bomb shattered a tramcar. A journalist counted 20 passengers dead. The driver, seeing the diving ’plane, applied the brakes and clanged the bell. The bomb crashed 20ft. ahead and blew the driver to pieces with the tram.

An eye-witness states that he saw about 40 killed and 100 wounded by Japanese bombers in the southwestern area.

The Japanese claim that the attack was repulsed, and hundreds of Chinese were killed. The Chinese say that 300 Japanese were killed at one point only. It is not known how many civilians were killed in the city. Many mangled bodies were seen. The Chinese claim success in a general offensive in North Shansi province. DAMAGED BY JAPANESE FOREIGNERS’ HOUSES. TEN PROJECTILES DROPPED. SHANGHAI, Oct. 14. British and German houses which were displaying their national flags were damaged in to-day's fierce fighting in Shanghai by four Japanese 'planes, which dived and dropped ten projectiles.

There were no casualties, owing to the fact that residents were in the city. One house was split in two.