CO129-579-12 Sino-Japanese War- bombing of railway line within leased territories (Shamchun Incident) 21-2-1939 - 17-3-1939 — Page 37

Enclosure No.1.

37

CONFIDENTIAL.

A meeting was held in the Council Chamber on 2nd March, 1939, at 3 p.m. to discuss the claim for compensation for losses sustained in the

Lo Wu incident of 21st February, 1939.

2.

Present: The Honourable the Colonial Secretary

(Chairman)

Major General Tanaka and his A.D.C.

The Honourable the Commissioner of Police.

Colonel Neville, G.S.0. I, China Command.

The Manager of the Railway.

Captain Boxer, G.S.O. III, China Command.

The Consul for Japan, Hong Kong.

The Principal Assistant Colonial Secretary.

The Colonial Secretary welcomed the

Japanese representatives.

3.

Colonel Neville stated the correct facts,

as derived from competent accounts of military eye- witnesses, for the information of Major-General Tanaka and to correct versions of the facts which had come from Japanese sources. Colonel Neville especially emphasized that the bombing of the Chinese Maritime Customs Station could not be done without violation

of British Territory.

4.

Major-General Tanaka produced a sketch map which he said has been drawn up by the attacking unit to explain their operations. He explained that the officer commanding the attacking aeroplanes had received special instructions not to violate British Territory, that their maps were not as good as ours, and that the attackers confused the rivers at the

boundary.

The General admitted, however, when pressed by Colonel Neville, that instructions to bomb the Chinese Maritime Customs Station had been given and