The raiders, six of whom were first sighted at 9.20 in the morning, drew extremely heavy fire from anti-aircraft guns, the thunder of which echoed and re-echoed throughout the city, but all the shells appeared to have fallen short of their targets.
The attack lasted about an hour, and three Japanese bombers, with their silver wings glistening in the sunlight, flew over Shameen at a height of 2,000 feet at 10.25, evidently returning to their base.
After a respite of several hours, the now well-known sound of the air-raid alarm was heard again at 230 and then shortly afterwards five Japanese machines were seen flying over the north-west section of the city and along the Canton-Hankow Railway. The all-clear was, given at 430.
"While Shameen and the occupants of foreign gunboats lying off there are perfectly safe, owing to Japanese care to avoid foreign areas, nevertheless the strain of the past fortnight is beginning to tell. Most foreigners have not had a decent night's rest during that period, being hauled out of bed on an average of twice a night.—Reuter.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.