Hankow, Feb, 18.
After desperate fights high above Hankow, five Japanese pursuit planes, forming part of a group of 27 raiding machines, were shot down to-day, it is officially claimed by the Chinese Aviation Headquarters, The objective of thè raid was the Hankow aerodrome, but apart from a few bomb-craters no damage was done. and no fires were started. Altogether about forty Bombs were aimed at the airfield.
The raiders, who consisted of twelve bombers and fifteen pursuit planes, made their appearance at 12.50 p.m. As soon as information of their impending visit was received, thirty Chinese pursuit planes went up to Chaumont, Leaves with 6th Marines Carrying on board 1435 U.S. Marines of the Sixth Regiment, and Brigadier-General John C. Beaumont, commander of the Second Marine Brigade while the Sixth Marines were in Shanghai, the U, SS, Chaumont left here yesterday en route for the United States, Brig.-Gen, Beaumont took Official leave of Shanghai on Thursday morning, when a number of officers from the different foreign contingents in—port gathered at the Customs Jetty to bid him farewell, engage the raiders, who were preceded by their pursuit machines.
In the ensuing combats, five Japanese machines are stated to have been Shot down.
This claim, it is added, is confirmed by the fact that observation posts sighted only 22 Japanese machines returning to their base whereas 27 had been seen earlier flying to Hankow.—
Reuter.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.