The times-news. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1927-current, 1938-02-24
BY RICHARD c. WILSON
United Press Staff Corresponden

Snttco i rcSS Stdit correspondent
BATAVIA, Dutch East Indies,
Feb. "a. (UP)-Gay and pictur-
eSque Batavia is learning rapidly
some of the grim realism of war
as new Martin bombers roar over
this famous East Indian port in
maneuvers nightly to the tune of
anti-aircraft guns and air raid
alarms.
The first of these mock wal
drills was held early this week.
Night club jewellers turned out en-
masse as the city was "blacked
out" and witnessed the crash of
one of the big planes, about a
mile from the airport at BandO-
eng.
Five airmen were killed in the
accident, which occurred during a
driving rainstOrm. Many mid
night celebrants had gathered at
the airport after the lights were
doused, in what seemed to be a
midnight social function.
The sudden squall drove the
jewellers to shelter. A few min
utes later a fve-plane squadron
roared through the rain-swept
darkness and as it passed over the
airport, one of the planes heeled
over and crashed, exploding as it
struck the ground.
The accident, amid the rumble
and flashes of anti-aircraft guns,
gave the scene a realistic touch,
particularly as the Dutch filters
did not halt in their maneuver,
carrying out their night raids
while the anti-aircraft guns still
blazed away into the sky.
1t was by first view Of Dutch
defensive maneuvers, and it. was
an impressive one. The Dutch
have been steadily building up
their East India airforce, buying
American-built planes.
Although "blackouts" are fire.
quent at, Singapore and Hong
Kong, where the British have
been educating the populace to
war conditions, the air raid alarm
is a new phase of night life in
Batavia and one that was seized
upon in a holiday spirit until the
crash at the airtield.
The alarms are sounded short
ly before midnight and the raids
last about two hours.
A few hours after the disaster
| visited the military air head
ouasters at Bandoeng and In
spected the bomber which crash
ed. 1t was a marked contrast to
the secrecy | encountered al
/ Singapore where | attended the
opening of the new $l00O0O,OOO
naval base.
There both Notifications and
eohipment are closely guarded,
and no one is allowed to walk
through certain areas. The Dutch
on the contrary, were glad to eX'
hibit their rapidly expanding for,
| tifications, which they regard
with national pride.
There are more than 30 Mar;
tin bombers regularly stationed
at Bandoeng, about so miles IN
land from Batavia, which lies or
the northern coast of Java. The
Dutch are ordering 70 additional.
bombing planes, largely to detenc
! the valuable Borneo oil helds
which are scattered over Bornec
to the north. Scores of new pilots
are going through flying training
at Bandoeng. 49,
Walking through the airdrome
I saw huge piles of bombers OF
various sizes not yet assembled
with cases of machine guns ready
for installation; and in addition
there were dozens of smaller pur
suit planes. /,
This week the Dutch plan te
begin manufacturing gas masks II
a factory here. At present the
supply is purchased from Slnga
pore, ..,o,. ~
military activity in the Outer
East Indies, the civilian popula
ton regards the hustle of wal
preparation with greatest inter
est, and groups stand around a
the airport, watching the crates
being unpacked with the ABSORB
ton of crowds watching animals
being unloaded from circus
train. ..' j..
= The wreck of the big MARTYR
bomber was the first opportunlt!
they had to observe the grim por
tent of East Indian preparedness