In any further communication on this subject, please quote
No.F 13198/742/10.
and address--
not to any person by name
but to-
The Under-Secretary of State,"
Foreign Office,
London, S.W.1.
I dupl
Sir,
3 JAN 939
140
61
FOREIGN OFFICE.
S.W.1.
2nd January, 1939.
132
With reference to Colonial Office letter No. 53846/38 of
the 12th December relative to the assembly in Hong Kong of
ambulance aircraft for the Chinese Red Cross, I am directed
by Viscount Halifax to inform you that he concurs in the
view expressed therein.
2. As China and Japan are both parties to the Geneva
Red Cross Convention of 1929, ambulance aircraft belonging
to the regular medical service of either of the contending
armed forces are entitled to the respect enjoined by the
Convention if they comply with the provisions of Article 18
thereof, but not otherwise. It appears however, to be open
to question whether ambulance aircraft belonging to the
Chinese Red Cross Society and manned by voluntary aid
personnel, as distinct from personnel belonging to the
regular medical service of the Chinese (or Japanese) armed
forces, would, in strictness, be entitled to respect, unless
the provisions of Article 10 of the Convention relating to
the recognition and notification to the other belligerent
of the use of voluntary aid personnel had previously been
complied with.
3.
So far as Lord Halifax is aware there is no
The Under-Secretary of State,
Colonial Office.
general/