THE CHINA MAIL, NOVEMBER 8, 1938.
BOMBING NIGHTMARE
Second Instalment Of British Woman's Diary
Narrow Escapes On Canton Line
through
a worried and nervous evening. By dusk. We are passing 9.45 5 p.m. we were running slowly lovely gorges, a river swirling by over the mended track and with the on our right. Evidently they have dark came the song of the men haul had some heavy rain but, oh, I do ing at the damaged rails. It was wish it were raining to-day.
a cheery and reassuring sound and I This journey has been such a could not help admiring their nightmarish experience that I only courage and perseverance. We long for it to be over and to be safe-
ly in Kowloon.
UNPLEASANT SATURDAY
The writer of this account of the last journey made between Hankow by rail is Mrs. E. G. Byrne, passed many troop trains that night a resident of Hankow, whose husband is still in and about 3 a.m.' stopped a Puchi,
sleeping at intervals till 6 a.m.
A very unpleasant Saturday, as the city or at Chikungshan.
At 8 o'clock on Thursday morning we stayed in Li Pau Tao till 4 p.m. was It is very hot on board and yet we Mrs. Byrne was one of the party of five for-we saw to our great joy it
air are reluctant to leave the train as eigners who, on the second attempt, succeeded in drizzling, and that meant no reaching Hong Kong after a perilous and nerve-raids, although we were still in the we have had the air warning. racking journey.
never
AT LING HSIANG
to The It
If
The train was they raid our station we are dangerous section. stationary again after running for hurry back to the tunnel.
All ready to afternoon drags slowly away. about half an hour. take to the fields if necessary, which becomes too hot. to stay in the like coupes as we are on the sunny side. to our experienced eyes look our-good running country with no lotus In spite of reassurances we feel
anxious all the time and it is with. mixed feelings that we receive the At last in Ling Hsiang. It is news that we are to move forward Every slight still raining slightly and we are all again at 4 p. m. instead of at ɓ as feeling more cheerful as we get fur-originally intended. ther away from Puchi and its bridge sound that suggested a plane makes and all the dreadful bits behind us. one sit up.
I hope we don't stay here too long as it looks so sinister. One has the fear that a little rain may not daunt raiders; that they may return and have another shot at the track."
station
at It
Saturday, 5 p. m. Stationary Chu Kong Now, a large city, is cooling down a little but we shall all be relieved to get hot baths and sleep in quiet beds again. From It is in a terrible state. Huge Monday to Friday there has been no running water on the train; in fact houses near the track blown to bits. it has been difficult to get any at Crowds standing around; some with all, so our washing has been ex- hoes, piling up fallen bricks into tremely limited. Yesterday a little baskets and trying to find where was taken on board, but it ran out their home was:
of the tap very discoloured and soon I hear there are five people buried ceased entirely." I have one dark
An old man dress with me and have worn under the rains.
rn it all
ན་ན་
The account is written from a diary kept while en route. The second and last instalment follows.
As I sank into the comforting the railway line, but found heat of my bath in Hankow on selves confronted with a huge lotus ponds. Plenty of trees and paths. Tuesday morning and felt the al-pond-how deep we could not judge. most pleasant sting of the hot water The two in front managed to get on my scratches, I swore that I over a small bridge and down to the would attempt the same paddy fields away from the railway. journey again, that I would take the I saw Mr. Pinel's white shirt like a beacon and Mrs. boat to Changsha and try and catch shining a train there somehow or other. Ramsay running hard.
We struggled along by the bank Mrs. Ramsay was in the same frame
in search of a path. Six planes of mind.
After breakfast Mr. C. E. Whita-passed overhead and went towards Still the nightmare of more. H. B. M.'s Consul, arranged Hankow. for Mr. Rees and myself to take the a pond refused to end, when to our afternoon boat to Changsha. Then horror we heard the six planes re-craters on each side. Some of the Mr. Rees came along with the news turning so purposefully that we that another train was leaving that were almost certain they were about night and that this time we would to bomb. the track or the not be delayed. A strong protest towards which we were walking.
We had only time to curl up had been sent by the French Consul about the French sailor and an as-among the long grass on the bank surance had been given by the of the track and pray for the best Japanese that they would not bomb when we saw the six planes over us stands quietly weeping and an old week, while Mrs. Ramsay felt so hot that train, We would get right of and heard the sinister whistling of lady is standing by looking utterly in her "camouflage" dress to-day sleeves out. way from the railway authorities bombs. They must have released dazed. We went and inspected the that she has to cut the
I did them right over our heads, but enormous crater from where they We have been on the train, except and all kinds of privileges.
luckily they were travelling fast were lifting the twisted rails, bent for the few hours in Hankow, since not know
What de-last Sunday night and here we are luggage What to do.
still in Wuchang on the and the twenty-four bombs fell for- out of all recognition.
nearing Sunday again and are not at train, which was licking its wounds ward and struck the track about 300 vastation!
Friday morning We all slept the end of our journey yet. in the repair workshops. It seemed yards ahead of us.
NEARING HONG KONG Great mounds of earth and dust well and became aware that we had cowardly to refuse.
arose and when the deafening noise arrived at Changsha in the early It is now 8 p. m. on Saturday and dazed morning hours. Woke at six to find we are speeding in the dark towards sincerely had subisided I lifted my head. I remember saying in an ourselves in the station, which has Hongkong, hoping very add sort of voice "Are you there?" half demolished houses around it that the damaged bridge ahead will We had a cheery be repaired in time for us to pass No answer. ...I called again, heard from past raids.
We had a without another stop. cocktail party, in our "suites" this evening, beer and a little whisky being the cocktails. All sat and watched the sunset glowing over We hurriedly got up and At 8 a.m. the next morning (Wed- nesday) we were no further on than along the track as fast as we could. Shieh NingWell, we got away the extraordinary cone-shaped hills. have Black and mauye velvet against we had been the day before when Another 100 yards and the path ap-about 8 am, on Friday and
flame... we were but 50 miles from Hankow. peared which we scrambled along had the pleasantest day so far.
are Everything ends in time, good as fast as we could towards the hay The train people say they old weary business began
I could hear some planes going through to day and hope to and bad, and dawn on Sunday shows again. An air raid alarm went ricks. and as I hurriedly scrambled down returning when we were only just be in Kowloon to-night. After all the us the magic name of "Fanling" the steep bank again-they always about halfway across, so we sank talk about this being such a danger- on the station signpost. seemed to be steep I thought what down in the corner of a field and ous part, where daily bombing may few hours of brisk running and we an idiot I was to come when I might tried to find cover in the bund grass. be expected, one cannot help feeling are in Kowloon, thankful that the nervous. I do hope they reconsider long and fearful journey is really MORE BOMBS
Half my
So we set off again at 4 p.m. on Tuesday afternoon, after being de- layed in Hankow an hour over an air-raid alarm, and had a difficult time getting across in the over- crowded ferry. The train set off briskly at 6.45 p.m. and we spent a restless night on board.
The
ANOTHER ALARM
a rustle and saw Mr. Rees' grave breakfast in spite of the fact that countenance and amah's grey face we were told we could not leave as It was there was a derailed engine in the peering through the grass.
station in front. tore
a wonderful relief!
·
Running over stubble and
LUNCHEON PARTY
WHITEAWAY'S
FOR BLANKETS
have been on the comfortable Kutwo
I did not look where the planes their decision and let us wait till and truly over at last. peacefully going up-river to Chang- sha.
were but heard them dropping more We hurriedly made for a hill bombs, I think on the track again. about 800 yards away and sat Wher they had gone we ran hell for among the trees near a farmhouse leather for cover. full of soldiers. Some unfortunate cracked-earth, rice place was being bombed in the far bunds is not easy and what with my distance. towards the west. Two thumping, heart and the running I solitary planes went by but they was absolutely breathless; then sud- kept well away. We could dis- denly I got my second wind. `` Amah tinctly hear the guns from the was running hard behind Mr. Rees front, a faraway "mutter. mutter" and I was glad to remember she had repeated every few minutes through-big feet. out the long morning.
We did a record run back and after
eternity DESPERATE SITUATION
what seemed an We returned to the track and reached the blessed ricks and sank Mrs. began to walk along the rails -to-on to their strawy sides. wards the cutting where the train Ramsay and Mr. Pinel were there lay hidden, Mr. Ramsay well in already and I heard that the soldiers front and Mr. R. Rees and amah had cursed Mr. Pinel's white shirt bringing up the rear. Suddenly I in no uncertain terms. thought I heard a sound of planes So after about ten terrifying slowly wended from the south so called to the hours we others.
hot We scrambled down the our....
way...back to the bank and tried to get away from and stuffy............. train,
and passed
ALL WOOL COLOURED BLANKETS,
Another
FINE GRADE WOOL. SIZE 60" x 80" Price $10-75 each.
ALL WOOL AIR-CEL BLANKETS,
CHARMING SHADES OF ROSE, GREEN, BLUE,
GOLD OR CAMEL, SIZE 63′′ x 84′′
ALL WOOL WITNEY BLANKETS,
OF SUPERIOR QUALITY, ALL WHITE AND WITH CLOSE WHIPPING.
$16.25 each.
From $13.75 each.
37.50 each.
SUPER MERINO WOOL BLANKETS,
IMPOSSIBLE TO BUY BETTER. ENDS BOUND WITH WIDE RIBBON
WHITEAWAY, LAIDLAW & CO., LTD.