§ Mr. ANSTRUTHER-GRAY(by Private Notice) asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he can state the circumstances under which a party of British officers bathing off the island of Samos were fired on by Turkish soldiers and a British officer killed?
§ The SECRETARY of STATE for FOREIGN AFFAIRS (Sir John Simon)I am not yet in a position to give much information beyond what has already appeared in the notice which was issued yesterday by the Admiralty to the Press. According to the reports received by the Admiralty, the boat in question was a skiff belonging to His Majesty's Ship "Devonshire" which was lying off the Greek island of Samos. The skiff had approached under sail to within 100 yards of the Turkish mainland when some 10 soldiers appeared and, according to the reports received by the British naval authorities, waved the boat away. The boat immediately went about, but the soldiers opened fire, killing Surgeon-Lieutenant Robinson and slightly wounding Lieu tenant Maunsell in the shoulder. Search is being continued for Surgeon-Lieutenant Robinson's body.
§ On hearing of these events I immediately asked the Turkish Ambassador to come to see me, and after detailing the circumstances to him as far as they were known to me, drew attention to the gravity of this occurrence. Fethi Bey undertook to telegraph immediately to his Government on the subject, and His Majesty's Ambassador in Turkey has also been instructed to take the matter up with the Turkish Government on similar lines. I understand that the Turkish Ambassador has now received some information and communicated it to the Foreign Office this morning, but I cannot yet give any further details.
§ I am sure that the House will join with His Majesty's Government in our regret that this unhappy incident should have occurred and in expressing our deep sympathy with the relatives.
§ Mr. PETHERICKCan my right hon. Friend state at this juncture whether the boat in question was in a prohibited area or not?
§ Sir J. SIMONNo Sir. I cannot give that information at present. I do not think that it would be desirable to make statements which might be challenged. The Turkish Ambassador has some information and so have we and, of course, we are collating it.