1941-05-26 — Page 19

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THE CHINA MAIL, MAY 26, 1941.

SYSTEMATIC

CIVILIANS IN

Murder Raids On Main Towns

ONE OF THE MOST FEROCIOUS DIS- PLAYS OF INDISCRIMINATE BOMBING THE WAR HAS YET PRODUCED, AND COMPAR- ABLE TO THE DESTRUCTION OF ROTTER- DAM, WAS CARRIED OUT ON SATURDAY AFTERNOON BY GERMAN AIRCRAFT OVER CRETE.

Waves of aircraft rained down heavy bombs on the island's three chief towns, Canea, Retimo and Heraklion (Candia), for six hours without any pause, from 2 o'clock to 8 in the evening.

These heavy bombs were sown carefully in rows across the centres of each town. The shopping prived of French nationality. centres were completely wiped out.

COLONEL COLLET GETS "REWARD"

Colonel Collet, French comman- der of Syrian levies, has been de-

Yet the population remained admirably caln and there were relatively few casualties.

IN THE WORDS OF A BRI- TISH OFFICER THE CRETANS WERE "WORTHY OF LON- DONERS."

Even while bombs were fail. ing young Cretan boys

dived

into the sca for fish killed by bombs.

Heraklion suffered from heavy raids on Thursday and Retime on Fiday Reuter.

GERMAN

AIR LOSSES

Axis aircraft losses in the week ending dusk on Saturday totalled 72 against 29 R.A.F.

Over Britain and round the British coasts the Germans lost 11, of which two were by night. and the R.A.F. four. Over Ger- many and German occupied ter- ritory the Germans lost six and the R.A.F. 10, of which one was by night.

This follows his action in cross- ing into TransJordania to join! the Free French forces. - Reuter.