Before reaching Wuhu a number of Japanese planes flew over the ship from up river, returning from bombing raids on Nanchang and Kiukiang we afterwards learned. Wuhu itself is a deserted city. We saw nothing but smoke, fires and wrecked buildings. A smouldering wreck of a ship lay on the bank.
Only one human being was sighted on the whole length of the city' water front, Below the city we saw the American Mission compound with large hospital apparently intact on its hilltop. Further down are the instellations of the two oil companies, also apparently unharmed. Lying off these were HM.S, Capetown and Scarab.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.