1938-08-25 — Page 7

THE CHINA MAIL, AUGUST 25, 1938.

1,

PILOT'S OWN STORY

Page

OF C. N. A. C. OUTRAGE Air-Liner Strafed By Machine-Guns, Finally Bombed

Attempt To Escape In Clouds Unavailing

As the story of the sensational Japanese attack on the C.N.A.C. air-liner, "Kweilin," is gradually pieced together, the deliberate design of the outrageous affair undoubtedly in the belief that Mr. Sun Fo would be aboard-becomes more and more obvious.

MR. HULL SEEKS

REPORT ON CNAC INCIDENT

Washington, To-day..

Mr. Cordell Hull, Secretary, of State, stated that he is request- ing information from American representatives in China' on the attack of the Chinese airliner by Japanese. Reuter.

The pilot's own story, appended, reveals that the big LABOUR M.P.

Douglas plane was furiously machine-gunned

in mid-air, and that the Japanese pursuit MR. SHORT, DIES

planes, five in number, repeatedly swooping

down close to the doomed craft, raked her with IN HOSPITAL

fire and machine-gunned escaping occupants. Chinese reports declare that the plane was finally

London, To-day.

A by-election in the Doncaster

hit by a bomb and sank, carrying those still on board down with her. The women and chil-division of West Riding of York- dren are believed to have been thus trapped.

shire will be necessitated by the death to-day in hospital in London of

Mr. Alfred Short, who was Parlia-

The Chinese authorities on the "I saw a small sampan tied up mentary Under-Secretary to the spot are now endeavouring to sal-to the shore and immediately start- Home Office in the last Labour Gov- vage the plane. A report received swimming for it with the in-ernment.

JAPANESE FAIL TO

MAKE PROGRESS

Hankow, To-day.

No progress has been made by the Japanese in their advance from Singtze where the Chinese have been considerably streng- thened by reinforcements.

The situation in that area is unchanged, according to both Chinese and Japanese messages last night.

Japanese military movements near Tehan suggest that they are preparing to launch a determined attack to occupy that town.

Meanwhile the Japanese are making desperate attempts to reach and cut the Kiukiang- Nanchang Line, but have so far failed to attain their object. Our Own Correspondent.

HOSPITAL BOMBED AT MICHANG

Ichang, To-day. Eighteen Japanese planes raid-

ed from Macao early this morn-tention of securing it and making Mr. Short, who was 55, worked ing, but lacking confirmation, an attempt to come back and take in his youth, as a boilersmith and states that five more survivors the passengers and remaining mem- became an official of the Transport ed Ichang yesterday morning, have arrived there and have been bers of the crew to shore.

"I instructed the crew to advise placed in hospital.

܂

dropping 48 bombs.

and General Worker's Union.

He first entered Parliament in The Teh Chi Hospital was de- Mr. R. L. Woods, chief pilot of the passengers that could swim to 1918 and in 1932 was called to the molished and more than 60 civil- the plane, returned to Hong Kong, start out for shore.

Bar. At the 1935 election, Mr. ian houses were also wrecked. in the early hours of this morn- "I underestimated the velocity of Short polled 29,963 votes to his Casualties included seven persons ing in the U.S.S. Mindanao, ac- the current and as a result I was Conservative's opponent's 22,011.

killed and 18 injured. companied by Mr. Philip Delany, swept a considerable distance down British Wireless. of Pan-American Airways.

PILOT'S STORY

stream and

ex- was completely hausted by the time I reached shore, for

"

He reveals that swimming so much so I could not move TOBACCO FACTORY

ashore to reach a sampan, he was more than an hour.

FIRE

This was the tenth Japanese air raid on this city since the out- break of the Sino-Japanese hosti-

lities. - Central News.

JAPANESE LOSE

WARSHIP

ANOTHER

carried by a rapid current a con- "When I recovered sufficiently to siderable distance and was com-walk, I followed the shore until I pletely exhausted. In the mean- came to a Chinese fort and being A small fire broke out at the time, the plane which had been unable to speak Chinese could not Laing Chung Tobacco Factory at repeatedly attacked, had dis-ascertain the fate of the passengers Nam Chang Street last night,

Nanchang, To-day. appeared.

and crew or of the plane which had originating in a shed used for the

Another Japanese warship is His formal statement reads: disappeared.

drying of tobacco. At 8.04 a.m. on August 24, the "I was escorted to a small city The fire was extinguished by the reported sunk in the Yangtze C.N.A.C. Douglas Transport Plane several miles distance and taken to Police and inmates, and the dam-River by Chinese shelling. No. 32 departed from Kai Tak Air-the district magistrate who inform-age done did not exceed $300. port, Hong Kong, en route to Cheng-ed me that only the radio operator

་

A fleet of more than 20 Japan- ese warships and transports were tu, via Wuchow, Liuchow and and one passenger had survived. dition to the pilot are Mr. K. Lo, passing through Hsiangshan on From there the magistrate very the' radio operator, and Mr. C. N. the south bank of the Yangtze Chungking.

At about 8.80 a.m. and about 65 kindly furnished me with transpor-Lou, a passenger, uninjured, though River when Chinese land bat- miles from Hong Kong, the plane tation to Macao, where I arrived at it has been reported that two others teries opened heavy fire. One, hit

3

are in hospital in Shekki, too ill to by several shells, sank later. was attacked by five Japanese Pur-¡

The only known survivors in ad- be moved..

Central News. suit planes which descended from a high altitude to attack.

"I noticed these planès overtaking me and endeavoured to reach some low clouds to try to avoid possible, attack.

"I reached these clouds but found they were of insufficient numbers to afford security.

"At this point, I was overtaken by the pursuit planes, which imme diately opened fire, with machine- guns and a considerable number of number of bullets

plane.

"I saw the unit the chance

was

to

attempt to land. Due to the nature of the terrain which was filled, with rice fields surrounded by dykes, I chose a small river. 1 landed safely and ascertained that no one had been injured.

FIFTY YARDS FROM SHORE

"The pursuit Blanes immediately. ked with machine-gun, fire.

about 501s ard

rom

p.m.

Two pictures of the G.N.A.C. Al and her passengers machine-gunn ed as huge sise, and on the right,į, pass org

Just before