1940-10-29 — Page 35

THE CHINA MALL, OCTOBER 29, 1940.

Page

Empress Of Britain Was Afire From End To End

Nazi 'Planes Attack

700 Miles Off The Irish Coast

SURVIVORS FROM THE “EMPRESS OF÷BRITAIN” \WHO WERE LANDED AT A WESTERN ENGLISH PORT ON SUNDAY, DECLARED THE LINER WAS BOMBED/700 MILES OFF › IRELAND ON SATUR- DAY MORNING.

The enemy aircraft then disappeared but |**00000000000090001 røturned and dropped four more bombs, in- cluding incendiaries.

A number of people were killed when bombs exploded and some of the ship's life- boats caught fire and could not be lowered, but as there was little danger of the ship sink- ing immediately, there was plenty of time for passengers to take to the lifeboats before the liner was completely ablaze from stern to

'stern.

The last were taken off some six hours after the attack.

In the meantime there was no par.lc. women and children calmly obeying instructions to remain below until it was time to leave.

The youngest passenger was a baby boy 11 months old who was strapped to a sailor's back to go down the ladder into the boat.

Rafts Out Of Doors

Captain Charles Sapsworth, the commander, stood on the bridge encouraging his gunners as they battled with the raider until all were killed or wounded and the guns out of action."

Capt. Sapsworth is believed to be among the survivors.

The crow made rafts out of cabin doors in case the boats proved 'insufficient,

A member of the crew -de-

clared the raider machine-gun-

anti-aircraft guns were out of action.

He praised the women stewards

only shipping company to hold the Ribands of both the Atlantic and the Pacific (held by the Empress of Japan) at the same time.

1

BULGARIA HOPES TO STAY NEUTRAL!

"Our policy to-day

Home Guard men, taking, en Intensive course in modern, realistic-methods of warfare, are seen here learning how to deal with dive bombers. This picture was taken: at, Osterley Park, Home Guard training school, where' ingenious' apparatus has been devised to swing a model bomber down in a realistic dive over the heads of Gunners, who “blaze away" at it with their rifles. |(Copyright," Fox).

is one of neutralityKWANGSI no reason to believe OPERATION

and definitely there is

it will change," de- clared a Bulgarian diplomat to Reuter in London yesterday.

BLENHEIMS GET IN AMONGST INVASION PORTS

A BIG SHARE in Sunday's R.A.F. air oper-

nad passengers after the ship's ations is stated in an Air Ministry news bulle- tin to have been taken by Coastal Command Blenheims. One force scored repeated direct hits on one of the power stations at the naval base at Lorient.

who, he said, behaved marvellous

ly.

Flying Boat Aids

An R.A.F. man repaired the damaged engine of a lifeboat and

The night was very dark but the first air- this was used to tug the heavy craft dropped a salvo of bombs which caused picking up survivors, while aa great explosion followed by a fire glow visi-

lifeboats from place to place,

naval officer, on board the liner led

and smcke to lower a

a party of men through the flames ble 35 miles away and which served as an ef- which saved many lives. licboat fective guide, and with the added help of A British flyingboat. spotted the flares one of the following aircraft made a blazing liner and brought war- ships to the rescue-Reuter.

Wus

***A frequent visitor to Hong Kong on round-the-world boy- ages, the Empress of Britain was John Brown built by

in 1931. Tenth largest vessel in the world (until the "Queen Elizabeth launched) she was of 42,848 tons gross register and was 733 fect long. In 1934, she won the Atlan tic Blue Riband" with a Quebec to. Cherbourg voyage of 5 days 6 hours-58 minutes, giving the C.P.R. the proud distinction of being "the"

SOVIET GUARDS AGAINST PLAGUE

direct hit on the power station.”

Later in the attack another behind, by", three Messerschmidts Blenheim made more direct hits 109. The Blenheim's rear gunner with a salvo.

peppered them--and one of the "I heard the bomb-gimer say the German fighters broke away 'dam- bombs had gone," said the pilot. aged. The Blenheim continued to "Then I heard him shout, "We've fight back - until the Messersch- hit it. My observer reported an midts' fire became ineffective and explosion "and a big blue flash they 'gave up the attack: from the power station after our bombs had burst."

Another Blenheim of the Coast- alCommand.... patrolling the French coast, bombed Quesquevillé aerodrome, hdar Cherbourg,” and "scored direct hits on a hangar.

KING VISITS A.A. GUN TEAM

Another Blenheim of the Coastal Command, patrolling the Dutch

The King yesterday morning coast, bombed German supply visited one of the AA batteries ships, shot up" the crew of a big which defend a south-east Eng- coastal gun and fought three Mes-land district. His Majesty inspect Owing to the bubonic plagua Inserschmidts on the way home. ed guns and dnstruments and talk- north Manchuria the Soviet Gov When the Blenheim "emerged ked with the crew who showed him ernment is imposing quarantine I from cloud over Den Helder there their living quarters. — British regulations at Otporand Powere a number of ships in the Wireless. granichnaya railway stations and docks below. The pilot dived and

nt the ports of Vladivostok and bombed them from only a few Nikolayevak, it was stated in: hundred feet, Moscow yesterday. "All passengers from Manchuria are affected. --- Router

Mr. A.Bethell, of No. 5 Beltran Strect, Kowloon Tong, has report- ed the theft of an electric Tan, valued at $80, from his residence yesterday morning.

GIFTS FOR AIRCRAFT Fighters Beaten Off. The Minister of Aircraft Pro-

duction acknowledges a gift of

A little later he observed a big £6,000 from Richmond, Surrey, gun emplacement thoroughly. The Spitfire Fund (the plane -to-be. gun crew scattered and ran for called. Wubilee") and £10,000-00 cover but several were hit." a. further contribution from Bri

When the Blenheim set course.tish communities:ip, China, Bri- \\for its base" It was attacked from itish Wireless,

CAIRO REACTIONS

Sweeping successes have been --INFORMED POLITICAL" CIR-- scored in the Chinese offensive in CLES IN CAIRO, WERE '. NOT south Kwangsi.

SURPRISED BY "THE 'ITALIAN Lungchow, important communi- | INVASION OF GREECE. BUT cation centre on the Indo-China THE NEWS CAME AS A SHOCK border, was recaptured at 5.30 TO ORDINARY ‘EGYPTIANS. a.m. yesterday, while another Faith in Mussolini's word is no Chinese column took Mingkiang,longer felt by Egyptians or for- south-west of Lungchow, Suilu eigners. It is recalled that on the Tso River was 1egained at Italy's entry into the war Musso- 'ini stressed he had no designs on Yugoslavia, Switzerland, Egypt

noon.

RAID ON KUNMING

ort

On the Pingyang-Nanning high- way the Chinese re-occupied San-or Greece.--Router. tang, Chinyuling and Tatowling. Japanese aircraft dumped tons o explosives upon the Chinese and Japanese reinforcements launched counter-attacks at Kanhu, Yiling' Thirteen Japanese planes raid- and Tenghsiang, but failed toped: Kunming yesterday morning. check the Chinese attacks. Cen-About twenty civilians, were kill- tral News.

ed and wounded-Central News.

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