§ 43. Mr. de Freitasasked the Secretary of State for Air what protest was made by the Royal Air Force officer commanding the Second Tactical Air Force in Germany against allegations officially made by the German authorities that Royal Air Force aircraft recently bombed the island of Knechtsand, North Germany.
§ Mr. NeaveNo official complaints have been made by the German authorities to Headquarters, R.A.F., Germany. Both R.A.F., Germany and Headquarters, 2nd Allied Tactical Air Force have issued statements to the Press denying that R.A.F. aircraft dropped bombs in the Knechtsand area on 21st April. No formal protest has been made but at the request of the R.A.F. representations will be made to the Mayor of Hamburg who alleged that the R.A.F. was responsible.
§ Mr. de FreitasIf the Under-Secretary of State says that representations will be made, surely that is admitting a most terrible delay. This happened some time ago. Why were not representation's made immediately to the Mayor of Hamburg as soon as he had made this wild statement?
§ Mr. NeaveI have no doubt that various inquiries had to be made, and the matter is now in the hands of General Norstad, who is conducting a full inquiry into the whole of this mysterious episode. I can only say that the matter is now in the hands of the consular authorities, and I have personally asked that these representations should be brought to the Mayor's notice.
§ Mr. Farey-JonesAs this island was undoubtedly bombed and as the propaganda against the Royal Air Force has been steadily growing for more than a week, can some public statement be made 388 about who was responsible for the bombing?
§ Mr. NeaveCertainly no Royal Air Force or any Allied aircraft were responsible for this incident. The visibility at the time was poor and local accounts differ a great deal about what actually happened. I think that we must await the result of General Norstad's inquiry.