Ladybird Incident

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Volume 81, Issue 81, 29 December 1937, Page 7

Ladybird Incident

-Preaa Asin.— Conrrieht.}

JAPANESE REPLY

Army Explanation of Shelling CONTENTS NOT RELEASED

(By Teleeranh-

(Received 29 12.30 p.m.) 'TOKIO, Dec. 28. Mr Hirota, Japanese Foreign Minister, handed Sir Robert Craigie British Ambassador, the Japanese reply to the British Note on the Ladybird incident. Simultaneously the Foreign Office announced that the contents would not be released to-night. The date of release was not announced. Those in well-informed circles believe that the reply ia similar to that handed to America regarding the Panay, although the delay in publishing the Note has caused some circles to surmise that it contains matter hitherto not revealed. After Mr Hirota had handed over the Japanese reply to Britain the Army issued a statement that the Japanese were unaware of the preaence of foreign vessels in the Yangtse. They saw on December 11 ten vessels going upstream. The commander, believing them to be Chinese, ordered the troops to fire, but the distauce was too great. A detachment then marched all night and arrived at Wuhu on the morning of December" 12. They saw four steamers at anchor belching smoke, and formed the opinion that this was "an attempt to put up a smoke-screen. The commander ordered the gunners to fire. They saw shells strike the first and second ships. Those behind sailed downstream. One of the two ships hit moved towards the Japanese forces on the river-bank, thereupon the Japanese commander identified it and ordered "cease fire." In the meantime, the Japanese saw six steamers behind the river delta, aud came to the conclusion that they were British ships hiding and using smokescreens, thus aiding the retreating Chinese. Officens from the Bee later landed and had a discussion with the Japanese commander, who apologised and agreed not to fire on British ships in future. Japanese planes attacked a concentration of British shipping two miles up tjge Yangtae river from Nanking on December 11. The concentration included the gv~boats Scarab and Cricket, of the Yangtse flotilla, which returned fire. No •casualties occurred. The gunboat Ladybird, anchored at the Asiatic P etToleu u Co's installation, got under way when ^ the Japanese opened fire, and was fired at until she was out of range. The gunboat Bee was just arriving at Wuhu from farther up the river when she was attackcd, but she was not hit. When Mr Brune, Lieutenant-Colonel Fraser and Flag-Captain G. O'Donnell, the last-named slightly hurt, went ashore and protested to Colonel Hashimoto against the firing on British gunboats, he replied that he had orders to iire on overy ship in the river, but ad;nitted that firing on the British craft was a mistake.