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Sempill British Aviation Mission to Japan

Sempill British Aviation Mission to Japan


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Sempill British Aviation Mission to Japan

Shinto ceremony at opening of the Imperial Japanese Navy Air Station at Kasumi-ga-ura, July 1921. William Francis Forbes-Sempill, 19th Lord Sempill AFC, AFRAeS (1893-1965) was a Scottish peer and record-breaking air pioneer who was later shown to have passed secret information to the Imperial Japanese military before the Second World War. In 1921, Sempill led an official military mission to Japan that showcased the latest British aircraft. In subsequent years he continued to aid the Imperial Japanese Navy in developing its Navy Air Service and began giving military secrets to the Japanese. Although his activities were uncovered by British Intelligence, Sempill was not prosecuted for spying and allowed to continue in public life. Date: 1921

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Media ID 19070619

© Mary Evans Picture Library 2015

Advise Aerodrome Ceremony Consultation Forbes Sempill Francis Instruction Mission Opening Shinto 1921 1922


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> Asia > Japan > Related Images

> Historic > World War I and II > Airplanes and aviation

> Services > Royal Navy


EDITORS COMMENTS
This evocative photograph captures the moment of the Shinto ceremony marking the official opening of the Imperial Japanese Navy Air Station at Kasumi-ga-ura in 1921. At the heart of the scene stands William Francis Forbes-Sempill, 19th Lord Sempill, a Scottish peer and aviation pioneer who led the British Aviation Mission to Japan that year. The mission showcased the latest British aircraft to the Imperial Japanese Navy, marking the beginning of a significant period of military cooperation between the two nations. Lord Sempill, an experienced aviator and a Fellow of the Royal Aeronautical Society, continued to advise and consult with the Imperial Japanese Navy in the following years. However, his actions were not entirely altruistic. Uncovered by British Intelligence, it was later revealed that Lord Sempill had been passing secret information to the Japanese military, potentially compromising British defenses before the Second World War. Despite this damning revelation, Lord Sempill was not prosecuted for spying and was allowed to continue in public life. The photograph, taken during the more innocent 1920s, offers a fascinating glimpse into a complex chapter of aviation history, where diplomacy, military strategy, and personal ambition intersected in unexpected ways.

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