SAMOS INCIDENT

Evening Post, Volume CXVIII, Issue 20, 24 July 1934, Page 9

SAMOS INCIDENT

TRAGIC OCCURRENCE

MUTUAL MISUNDERSTANDING

IBritlsb Official Wireless.) . (Received July 24, 11 a.m.) BTJGBY, July 23. In reply to a Parliamentary questiojl . in regard to; tho recent; incident at Sainos when Turkish sentries fired on a boat containing British naval officers, killing one of them, Sir John Sinion Baid that further information indicated that the tragic occurrence was the re* suit of a lamentable misunderstanding. The skiff in which the officers approachpd close to the Turkish coast was' flying no flag and the officers were notin uniform. According to a statement of the Turkish Government, the Turkish coastal patrols had strict orders to summon any suspect craft to bo ques- - tioned and, in the present case beckoned to the boat to approach. There was reason to think that the signal was misunderstood. At any rate when, the. skiff moved away, the Turkish guard repeatedly filed, with the result that Surgeon-Lieutenant Robinson was • killed and fell into the water. Lieu-, tenant Maunsell was slightly wounded. Surgeon-Lieutenant Robinson's bodyhad not yet been recovered. The .Turkish Ambassador, on instructions from his Government, had expressed his Government's very "sincere regret that this' tragic misunderstanding had occurred'and the Turkish Government had informed' the British Ambassador that they were deeply distressed at the occurrence. A funeral ceremoay was held on Saturday in Turkish territorial waters, at which there were present H.M.S. Queen Elizabeth, flying the flag of the Com-mander-in-Chief of the Admiral of the FUeet; H.M.S. London,' flying the flag of the Rear-Admiral Commanding the First Cruiser Squadron; and H.M.S. Devonshire, in which Surgeon-Lieuten-ant Bobinson was serving. By order of the Turkish Government a Turkish destroyer also fook part and cast a wreath into the sea with an inscription expressing the sympathy and regret- of - the Turkish Government. The Turkish Government also spontaneously expressed tneir desire to pay a compassionate grant to the relatives of th« deceased officer.