BRITISH OFFICIALS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22859, 14 October 1937, Page 13

BRITISH OFFICIALS

AIRMEN use machine-guns ' JAPANESE IN SIX WARPLANES party escapes injury By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright SHAXCtHAI, Oct. 12 Airmen in six aeroplanes alleged to be Japanese attacked and machine-gunned three British motor-cars en route from Nanking to ,Shanghai when they were 1 6 miles from Shanghai. The occupants of the cars, including the Assistant Air Attache, Mr. S. Murray, alighted on the side of the road. There were no casualties. The cars carried Union Jacks, which were easily identifiable. A member of the Embassy party, Mr. Braham, interviewed, said the Union Jack was conspicuously painted on the cars, but this did not deter the„attackers. A bullet broke a window of one car. The British authorities informed the Japanese, who issued a statement declaring that they had not been notified that British cars would be travelling to Shanghai. The Japanese authorities later stated that they had received a preliminary report showing ■ that the airmen concerned were not able to see the markings on the cars, which they supposed were occupied by high Chinese officers. Misunderstanding as to Cars' Route Chinese who were constructing elaborate fortifications in the region of Minghong, where the incident occurred, consequently received especial attention from Japanese bombers. The British Consul-General completed a preliminary investigation. He learned that the British Embassy at Nanking had notified the Japanese Embassy in advance of the intention to send cars to Shanghai. The latest news is that ii: is now understood that the British cars, owing to a misunderstanding, followed a route different from thai indicated to the Japanese. Accordingly, the British remonstrance was couched in mild terms. The Japanese also assert that the British party used two cars instead of three as notified, but according to Mr. Braham his car was nearly a mile ahead of Mr. Murray's when six Japanese warplanes swooped down from a height of 300 ft. The motorists hurriedly alighted and rushed into the fields. The Japanese fired for six or seven minutes between his car and that of Mr. Murray. Firing Stopped When Union Jacks Seen

Mr. Murray, seeing the aeroplanes menacingly overhead, alighted to show that he was a foreigner, but the firing continued. Presumably the remainder of the convoy was delayed to pick up M. Shakoff, of the Russian Embassy, and a woman secretary whose / C ar broke down. The Japanese claim to have stopped firing when they saw Union Jacks waved. The Japanese machine-gunned a Russian car, which had been sent out to bring in M. Shakoff.