CO129-579-12 Sino-Japanese War- bombing of railway line within leased territories (Shamchun Incident) 21-2-1939 - 17-3-1939 — Page 40

CO129 Colonial Office Hong Kong Records 理藩院香港檔案 All

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at about Lo Wu Brickworks (1479) a mile inside British

territory.

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Two separate attacks were made, one bomb being dropped each time: they both fell on the embankment and caused

considerable damage to the train, though as far as can be

ascertained there were no casualties.

The train was part

of the normal daily service on the railway.

The aeroplanes in previous reports were said to be "probably type 96", but evidence obtained since indicates they were in fact reconnaissance planes "type 97".

All the attacks were made from a height of about 500 feet and it is estimated that the bombs used were of a weight of about 60 Kilos. The attacks were seen by His Excellency the Governor and by officers of the 2nd Battalion The Royal Scots who were in Lo Wu Camp at the time.

At the spot where the attacks were made the frontier is particularly clearly defined: it is crossed here by the only railway in this part of the country: the frontier itself is the River Shan Chun, which is wider than any other river in the neighbourhood and bends in a peculiar "U" shape where it is crossed by the railway, while the British Camp at Lo Wu could not have been mistaken for a Chinese Camp, and as the whole formation flew very near it, and some machines actually over it, the Japanese airmen must have seen it.

The total casualties on British Territory amounted to 1 Sikh policeman, 11 Chinese killed, and 4 Chinese wounded.

On 2nd March, 1939, General Tanaka, Chief of Staff to General Ando commanding the Japanese Army in South China, came to Hong Kong to arrange, amongst other things, for payment of claims arising out of the Japanese bombing. The usual court- esy calls were paid, and a full apology was made to the General Officer Commanding on behalf of General Ando. In the after- noon a Conference under the Chairmanship of the Colonial Secretary took place at 3 p.m. General Tanaka was accompanied by his Staff Officer, Colonel Ohira and by Mr. Oda, the acting

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