BRITISH IN BAGDAD.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LXI, Issue 155, 3 June 1941, Page 6

BRITISH IN BAGDAD.

! TRIALS AT REBELS’ HANDS. BAGDAD, June 2. Some 500 British officials and businessmen who were resident in Bagdad have now been released after a month of eonfitieinenr. in the British Embassy and the I liited Stales Legation. The women and children were evacuated on April 29, alter which the British Ambassador instructed the remaining British subjects to assemble immediately in the British Embassy and the United States Legation. The party of IGO in the United Legation saw much of the R.A.L. bombing of the Iraq Armv headquarters and also Rashid All’s camp, which was only two miles away. Alav 5 was the critical day. The Iraqi Foreign Alinister teteprioned the United States Alinister (Air Knabenslme) and instructed him to hand over all the Iraqis employed in the legation, because the building “iniglit be bombed within an hour.” The Foreign Ministry explained that the British commander had threatened to bomb] Government buildings in Bagdad, for which reason tile Iraqis had issued a counter-ultimatum: “If the threat is carried out we will bomb British subjects in Bagdad wherever they are found.” Neither threat was carried out.

At the height of the crisis the refugees offered to surrender as prisoners of war. but Mr Knabenshue refused to consider the plan, although he was well aware of the risk of keeping the Britishers in his Legation. An hour later an Iraqi foreign officer ordered Mr Knabenshue to hand over the refugees for internment as prisoners of war and lie had no alternative except to agree, but stipulated that lie must lirsL receive, a written guarantee that they would Ist treated in accordance with international law. The Iraqis later cancelled the- demand for internment because “a suitable camp must be prepared. Finally the British subjects remained in the Legation, sleeping on mattresses oil the floor. Air Kliabonsliue earned their undying gratitude. Besides liis courageous stand on their behalf lie shared the inevitable discomforts which the presence of refugees created in the Legation.

German broadcasts have put a curious interpretation on the absence of Rashid AI i from his country-—an absence which has been confirmed as an ignominious flight, says the British Official Wireless. The Deiitseidander station, for instance, states: “In the absence of the head of thy Government. who is travelling in neighbouring countries for consultations, the Minister of Trade was entrusted with the organisation of Iraqi resistance which is obstinately maintained on a new line of defence.” In view of the armistice concluded: it would be interesting to see what value German broadcasters attach to the “consultations” on which Rashid Ali is said to be engaged. KING’S AVHEREABOUTS. (Bee. 10.15 a.m.) LONDON. June 2. The Paris radio states -that King Fobal of Iraq, accompanied by several military personages and the Governor of Bagdad, has arrived in Iran.,