Shooting down of R.A.F. Lincoln Bomber

March 26, 1953. This telegram to the UK High Commissioners stationed throughout the Commonwealth describes the shooting down of an RAF Lincoln Bomber by a Soviet aircraft in the Hamburg Berlin air corridor. This copy was passed to the Government of Canada. 

 The UK telegram discusses British and Soviet communications regarding the Lincoln. response to British protest, Soviet General Chuikov appeared co-operative and called for a conference to discuss and revise the rules of flight. This marked a shift as the Soviets had previously not formally agreed to any official “flight rules”. French and US representatives in Berlin supported British opinion, and were prepared to join any discussions regarding changes to flight rules.