was absolutely impossible at that height for the civilians to have been confused with Chinese soldiers; I have made aerial reconnaissances and I know," said Corporal H. A. Osborne, of the Royal Ulster Rifles, at the inquest which was held before Mr. C. H. Haines, H. M. Coroner, yesterday afternoon on the body of Rifleman Patrick McGowan.
A verdict of death as the result of a "gunshot wound from a machinegun pullet fired from a Japanese aeroplane which attacked the post at Which deceased was stationed" was returned by the Coroner. The Coroner added that he did not think it would be of any use for him to make any comments as to his personal.opinion, as "enough has been paid." He would therefore just record his verdict and express his regrets. 2 Captain Charles Ryan, of the Royal Army Medical Corps, said that at about 3.25 p.m. on October 24 he was returning from a ride and on nearing the riding school saw a Japanese plane dive in the direction of "Q" Post four times, firing its machinegun on each occasion. A police van hurried to the scene, and within five minutes returned with the body of a dead soldier. The soldier had died as the result of a bullet wound, the point of entrance being the top of the shoulder, and the exit point the left auxiliary lung, between. the seventh and eighth ribs. In his opinion, death had been instantaneous.
Within 300 Feet Corporal Osborne then gave evidence to the effect that he, a Lance-Corporal, and six other men had taken over the post on Keswick Road at about 2 pin. At about 3.20 pin., a Japanese pursuit aeroplane dived towards a party of men and women, civilians, riding on horseback hear the post, and when it had got to within 300 feet of the ground, opened fire with its machine-gun; the party scattered.
He shouted to them to take cover in the post. The plane circled and then power-dived towards his post. firing Me machine-gun. He told his men to take cover, Rifemen McGowan and Lindsay were outside the post, working on some blankets, and they both ran for the entrance to the post, Rifleman Lindsay suddenly shouted "I am hit," so witness told him to try and get into cover.
He then looked at McGowan, who was lying in the entrance to the post, bleeding profusely from the Cid side and the mouth, and one glance showed Corporal Osborne the man was beyond aid; he covered him with a ground-sheet, and told Rifleman O'Leary to get the Lewis gun ready for action. When the plane dived again, he ordered him to open fire.
Post Opens Fire He then took over the gun himself and going outside, rested it on a sandbag wall and continued to fire for some time at the plane, until it eventually flew off in a northerly direction. The dead man was placed in the police van and taken away. "Q" Post, said Corporal Osborne, was about ten yards inside the perimeter. From his own experience, he felt it absolutely impossible for the civilians to have been mistaken for Chinese soldiers from the height at which the plane was flying. He similarly felt it impossible for the plane to have taken "Q" Post for a Chinese post; the British soldiers were dressed n khaki drill shirts and shorts and steel helmets at the time.
All mut have been clearly visible to the occupants of the plane. which! dived once at the civilians and four times at the British post. "It was a bright, sunny day, with excellent sibility," he concluded.
on gave your evidence very well indeed," commented the Coroner as witness stepped down from the witness-box.
Sound of Machine-gun Rifleman John Lindsay, also of the Royal Ulsters, said that he and the deceased were working on some blankets just outside the post. At about 3.20 p.m., he heard the roar of an aeroplane engine and the sound of a machine-gun being fired. The two soldiers left their blankets and ran for the entrance of the post, some three yards away.
Just as he got to the entrance, he felt a bullet strike his thigh and he fell. It was only a graze, and he managed to crawl into the post. He did not see McGowan for a few moments, as he had been behind him, but a minute or so later saw him lying in the post; he was dead. It was, he thought, a Japanese aeroplane which fired at them for "it was 4 green, with round, red markings on both wings." There was no other firing up to the time when the plane opened up with its machine-gun.
Saying that the evidence in the inquest made everything abundantly clear, the Coroner then returned his verdict.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.