Welcome to Hong Kong War Diary - a project that documents the 1941 defence of Hong Kong, the Garrison, and their fates until liberation.
This page is updated with a monthly record of research and related activities. Pages on the left cover the books that have spun off from this project, and a listing of each and every member of the Garrison.
Comments, questions, and information are always welcome.
Argyle Street sketch (courtesy Tad Hosoi), Arliss Wedding (courtesy Faye Powell), 1 Chatham Path (Author) John Cook, Confirmation of Cook's death (both courtesy Petula Boddy), Estylito Rocha (courtesy Gary Rocha) John Vernall's MiD (courtesy London Gazette), Jack Sharp, Jack Sharp's medals (both courtesy John Warrack)
June News
There is a method to the madness, in case anyone is interested. On the 20th or 21st of each month I write up the blog to that point, basing it primarily on email correspondence (and using it as an excuse to reply to any that I missed), adding in anything that happened locally or arrived by snail mail, deleting the oldest month from the website, and having a first bash at deciding which ten photos to use for the new month. At the same time, I normally decide on a theme or introduction. On the penultimate day of the month I then add the last few days and tidy it up. That way, the work to make the new site live at the end of the month consists solely of a final read-through to ensure that nothing I have written could be misconstrued or cause offence, followed by the uploading of each item. Couldn’t think of a theme for June, so thought I’d describe the process instead.
30 Dave Deptford notes that Bosleys auction on 2 Sept 2009 will include the Defence of Hong Kong M.M., B.E.M (1962) and WW2 group to Charles Douglas Goddard, 1st Middlesex. http://www.bosleys.co.uk/ 30 Tad Hosoi reports that his Japanese translation of Frank Evans’ book (Rollcall at Oeyama) should be out at the end of July. He passed me an interesting sketch of Argyle Street with La Salle in the background by Captain Gidley. Gidley was only a subaltern at the start of the fighting, but I suppose the RASC losses at The Ridge led to quick promotions.
29 Barbara Anslow let me know that Norman Gunning (ex-Stanley, HKPF, author of ‘Passage To Hongkong’) passed away on 26th June in his early nineties. 29 Held the WSST book launch at the FCC at lunchtime. It was well attended and (rather nicely, as they were launched at the same venue in 2003 and 2006) copies of the earlier two books were on sale too. HKUP also gave me a copy of ‘Resist To The End’, the diary of BQMS Charles Barman, HKSRA, which they have finally published. This diary was not in very good shape after the author’s death, but his son Ray tidied it up and I then did what I could to help get it in order. I thought it was important as Barman had a unique perspective on the battle as he traveled around, BQMS diaries are very rare (have you ever seen one?), the HKSRA have been poorly served in the history books, and Barman later became senior NCO at Argyle Street Camp gaining a second unique perspective in the process.
28 Finished around 95% of my write-ups of Fraser, Harcourt, and Maltby for the Hong Kong Dictionary of national biography. Also made a good start at my documentation of the October 29 1943 executions for the next book.
26 Luiz Gosano of 5 Coy, HKVDC, was kind enough today to sort through my list of ‘unallocated’ Volunteers, and mark some 50 or so who were in 5 Coy with him. I will update my main records with this. The last time I refreshed the website ‘Search Garrison’ pages from the master file was 2005, so I will try to do it again before the end of this year.
24 Donald Ady noted that he had a ‘sort of relative’ who served in the HKVDC: “Bill Anderson was the grandson of a Scot who came to Hong Kong, and Bill was Eurasian, 1/4 Chinese. Tall, dark, with only rugged cheekbones to maybe mark him as not entirely Caucasian. Bill had a stellar business career - some or all of it (not sure) with NCR, National Cash Register, ending up as the international president in Toledo (?) Ohio. He'd been called to the post from the upper ranks in an office in Japan to where he'd gone from Hong Kong.” Imagine my surprise about two years ago, when I was presented with ‘Corporate Crisis: NCR and the Computer Revolution], to see that it had a chapter devoted to the author's - Bill Anderson - time as a POW.
19 Finally managed to get down to Crown Wine Cellars today to catch up with Greg De’eb and hand over the Bell diary for display there. Greg was more than a little surprised by the quality and content of the diary, and was enthusiastic to make it part of the Wine Cellars- which, among may other things – is the nearest thing to a living war museum that Hong Kong has.
15 Faye Powell sent me a photo of the Arliss wedding (6 Nov 41) asking if anyone can identify those in it. The known ones are: Back Row: Male unknown, Chinese female unknown, Robert Bede Moore, Chinese male unknown – thought to be brother of Ada Arliss, Chinese female unknown, Male Unknown Front Row: George Arliss, Ada Arliss (Chinese name not known). 15 Over on the Stanley Camp discussion group, there has been a lot of correspondence about a popular American called Gingle or Gingles. Geoff Emerson notes: “In an account by internee Maryknoll Father William Downs and published in the Royal Asiatic Society Hong Kong Branch Journal, Volume 19, 1979, the following was written: (4 July 1942) ‘Mr Gingle's kitchen is a model of cleanliness and order, and everything is absolutely shipshape. No one is allowed in the galley and he takes great pride in his work. It is easily seen he has had Navy training. His clarion call for meals is 'Come and get it or I'll throw it on the deck!' and that brings us all running with our plates and cups... our ordinary fare seems to be just rice with a think gravy or soup, but every few days we get quite a delicious meal. It seems he (Gingles) gives us a square meal, served in an appetizing manner...he darkens the gravy by the addition of a little burnt sugar.’ ” Gingle(s) was allowed out of Stanley during the war – having avoided the repatriation to the States – and ended up in Ma Tau Wei camp instead. Does anyone know his family today?
14 Got back in touch with Gary Rocha whose uncle Tony (Antonio) was shot and killed when surrendering to the Japanese in Hong Kong. Gary’s oldest brother Louis was also HKVDC, and became a Chindit, together with Gary’s father Estylito, his second brother Edward, his uncle Carlos, and his brother-in-law Tony Souza. Gary also sent me photos of all of these. 14 Bought S.J. Chan’s book ‘East River Column’ today. Haven’t started reading it yet. 14 Had to drop one of our brats off for a birthday party on Tregunter Path, so continued along the road to take a look at Chatham Path along which I had been told was an old colonial pre-war house without road access. Found it. Beautiful place, but must be a monster to reach carrying heavy shopping up the little mosquito-ridden path under dripping trees.
13 Saw WSST and NTSC on Dymocks’ ‘Bestsellers’ shelf today! 13 Today saw that Fiona Bishop of the Royal British Legion in Hong Kong had been decorated with a well-deserved MBE. 13 Richard John Vernall’s (RNVR) daughter got in touch, asking for details of his OBE and MiD, which I was able to supply thanks to the online London Gazettes. She notes: “I was born in HK on 23rd December 1929. In 1936 my parents returned to the UK on leave. They left me here at boarding school and returned to HK, intending, of course, to return for leave again in 1939. However, along came the war with all the dreadful consequences - no need for me to tell you! It was in 1944 (8 years later) that my mother returned to the UK in convoy at the time of 'D' Day. A traumatic meeting as you can imagine when we again met after her stay in Sydney and my experiences here at school!”
12 At lunchtime I was interviewed by Debby Cheng Yi Yi from Ming Pao, about my work with sons and daughters of Hong Kong’s veterans, for an article to be published on Fathers’ Day. We made small talk as we walked into Hong Kong Park: “Did you study history at university?” “No, I studied computer science. Did you study journalism?” “No, I read anthropology.” After this mildly surreal start, somehow we avoided discussing demographic analysis algorithms and instead focused on the task in hand. 12 Antonio Changmine’s (HKRNVR) daughter got in touch.
11 Bill Deering’s (RN, Lisbon Maru) granddaughter got in touch. 11 Dr Dan Waters reminded me today of the Second World War Experience Center (http://www.war-experience.org/). They seem to have come a long way since I last looked at the site.
9 Received a surprise email today, from a professional historian in Canada who I have corresponded with previously, noting that he is the author of the TLS review. It’s not on line, so I’ll see if I can get away with quoting just the first few words here: “By their nature, academic military histories do not usually make for emotional reading, Tony Banham’s excellent history of the almost 14,000 men and women – British, Indian and Canadian soldiers and civilians taken prisoner by the Japanese when Kong Kong fell on Christmas Day 1941, departs from this tradition.” Now, I don’t want to give the impression of critical elitism, but had the TLS stated: ‘Tearing pages from Tony Banham’s latest book would be a decent way to start a barbecue’, I would have been pleased enough…
8 I received a sad letter from Marilynn Armacost, telling me that her husband Robert, the pilot of the B24 Les Miserables which crashed carrying ex-HK POWs in 1945, had passed away. See: http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/kansascity/obituary.aspx?n=robert-shaw-armacost&pid=127082836 8 Received a nice letter from Grant Shepherd, Lisbon Maru, who – through reading WSST – has now learned the fate of a Royal Scot who was an old school friend. 8 Received a welcome letter from Peter Nayler containing a photo and death certificate of Herbert Edgar Nayler, Middlesex Regiment.
7 Gordon Fairclough RA, one of those who managed to escape from the POW camps, notes: “I have now read only a third of ‘We Shall Suffer There’ and I don't know if I can read more, I find it most disturbing.” Unfortunately this has been a common experience from those who were there at the time. I fear it was easier for me to write, than for them to read. 7 The HKVCA note that they now have enough to complete the memorial wall, but still need funds for the foundation and the landscaping. Realistically, they still need considerable donations to ensure that this memorial is as lasting and effective as it needs to be. Watch this space. 7 A gentleman reports that Australian Albert Laurence Taylor, who died as a POW on Hainan Island, was temporarily buried in plot A65 at Argyle Street Cemetery after the war, before being finally re-interred in Yokohama. This is the second such case I have come across, so would be very interested to get to the bottom of it. During the war there was indeed a POW cemetery on Argyle Street (south of the road, near the Ma Tau Chung Camp), but I thought it had been emptied in 1947-49, with all remains being reinterred in Saiwan.
6 Today I was shocked to see that WSST had been reviewed in the Times Literary Supplement. When you think of all the books published in English across the world, the idea of your own book being mentioned in the TLS is pretty far fetched. Only problem: I can’t find a copy to read.
5 Today I spoke about WSST for the RAS at City Hall. It wasn’t, officially, a book launch but I was able to explore the POW and Internee experience from 1942 to 45, using – as illustration - many of the unique and unpublished images that I have received via the readers of this site. I spoke for around 45 minutes, and then had a 30 minute discussion with those present. David Bellis (from www.batgung.com) was one of those kind enough to come, but there was also a sprinkling of those who knew the people I was talking about, or who had other specific interests in the period. Afterwards, the RAS was kind enough to take me to dinner at the FCC where the table included Geoff Emerson and Michael Duckworth – the new publisher at HKUP. 5 It’s often forgotten, but a number of Free French took a very active part in the defence of Hong Kong. I have mentioned Egal before, for example, but does anyone know more about Captain (or Lieutenant) Frederic Marie Jocosta who was lost at North Point on December 19? “Lieutenant Frédéric Marie Jocosta, né le 12 juin 1908, engagé volontaire le 8 décembre 1941, tué à North Point le 19 décembre 1941»: officier de liaison et chef du service de renseignement de la France Libre à Singapour, Frédéric Jocosta est de passage à Hong Kong en octobre 1941. Il rejoint le Corps des Volontaires dès le premier jour de l’invasion japonaise, lancée le lendemain de l’attaque de Pearl Harbour. Frédéric Jocosta est tué dans les combats des premières semaines, sur l’un des points d’appui britanniques de la défense de l’île de Hong Kong.” 5 Dave Deptford notes (certainly of interest, though a little late by the time you read this): “The following may be of interest - Dix, Noonan, Webb Auction 24th June 2009: 1. Capt R.R. Davies HKVDC: Efficiency Decoration £250.oo+ 2. Capt Robert Keith Valentine HKVDC late Middlesex Regt. 1914-15 Star, British War Medal, Victory Medal, 1939-45 Star, Pacific Star, defence and War Medals with M.I.D. Reported as POW HK - £320.oo+”
3 Manuel Prata’s (HKVDC) grandson got in touch. 3 Lorne R. McNab’s (Royal Rifles) family got in touch.
1 Elizabeth Ride was kind enough to send me Lt. Col. Ride’s commendation of Douglas Clague after the latter left BAAG. Although I am starting the ‘Hong Kong Irregulars’ research with the Hong Kong Chindits, I am also gathering material on all the escapees/evaders and their interactions with BAAG. 1 Petula sent some photos of, and letters from, John Cook RASC. She is looking for his girlfriend/fiancé Edna (illustrated), who was an American. “I have also found out that Edna returned to USA and kept in touch with my nan until the end of the war and then stopped writing. Apparently, the first letter she wrote to my nan was just addressed to Mrs R Goodhew of Edmonton - but it found her! Nobody knows what happened to her and why she stopped writing. By all accounts, when the war was over and if all had turned out well for them - they would have married.” 1 John Warrack, son of Captain Alex Warrack, RAMC, sent a photo of his grandfather wearing a Japanese decoration during WWII, as a token of respect for Alex who was a POW in Japan at the time. “My mother's Father was a Col William (Jack) Sharp who was a Quartermaster in WWI and was commissioned in the field in 1916 (Lt Quartermaster Sharp) and presented with a Wilkinson sword for leading out horses to recover some of the first tanks used. After the 1st world war he stayed in the army… The irony to all this was that Emperor Hirohito - when he was Crown Prince and visited England in the early 20's and was hosted by the Prince of Wales - presented to my Grandfather [who] was on the Prince's staff as a young Aide, the Order of the Rising Sun, 3rd class. Having retired before the outbreak of WW2 [he] was called up to the General Staff. It was said that he wore the medal ribbon when he was in uniform as a mark of respect for my Father, who he had only known for three weeks before he was posted to Hong Kong where my mother followed to marry him. No one at the WO ever asked the Colonel why he wore it, although my Grandmother used to say he got some funny looks.”
Image:
May Images
The Funeral (author), Bennets, Shouson, and other hills (author), Probable detonator (courtesy Craig Mitchell) Gowland wedding (courtesy Isabelle Clough), Alex Mann's grave at Yokohama (courtesy Dennis Morley), Matilda Hospital (author) Pollock letter (courtesy Thomas Vincent), Diary page (courtesy Bill Lake), Vaugn, Ashby meeting (courtesy Richard Hide)
May News
A lady who works for me in my day job claims that I am good at multi-tasking. We’ll see. For the next few weeks I am going to be focusing on writing up my notes on all the evaders and escapers from Hong Kong, and what they got up to after they left. At the same time, I am continuing to document the 1940 evacuation, while writing that potted history of the HKDDC for the RAS. To that I’ll add the little commission described below from HKUP. She may be right, she may be wrong. Time will tell.
31 AnneMarie Evans’ Asia Specific column today (South China Morning Post) ran a nice little piece about the research behind We Shall Suffer There.
28 Dennis Morley, who just read We Shall Suffer There, notes: “Bill Poulter's account of the fire bombing of Kobe House reminded me that I was on fire piquet on the top floor armed with beaters. After the first few came through we decided it was useless to carry on so we said to hell with it and went down below to our bed spaces. We then evacuated the building on to the Green - which is still there - and watched the B29s doing their job. I hope never to see a sight like that again in my life.” There is a well-known photo taken from a B29, of incendiary bomb canisters falling on the city that day. The site of the Kobe camp (Osaka #2B) is just to the left of centre, in the smoke. It is amazing that any of the POWs survived. At that green, they met many Japanese civilians also escaping the blaze.
27 Christine Loh and Leo Goodstadt very kindly organized a ‘farewell’ lunch for Colin Day, (publisher of HKUP, who recently retired and moved over to Macau), his wife Jenny, and a handful of his authors. Between us, this small group had written twenty books for him – a small fraction of the 1,000 or so that he has personally brought to fruition in his career. During his tenure, Colin doubled the output of the press, and – according to more than one of those present – doubled the quality as well.
26 This afternoon, at Stanley, the mortal remains of our ‘Unknown Soldier’ were laid to rest (illustrated). It was a simple memorial, but well attended by those who didn’t have to be there, as well as those with official functions. The Reverend John Chynchen's remarks, to general agreement, noted that we were there to celebrate not victory but the memory of a man unknown to us who died for simple principles “well described by the lyrics of a song by the band Pink Floyd: Hold on to the dream a place to stay enough to eat somewhere old heroes shuffle safely down the street where you can speak out loud about your doubts and fears and what's more no-one ever disappears you never hear their standard issue kicking in your door you can relax on both sides of the tracks and maniacs don't blow holes in bandsmen by remote control and everyone has recourse to the law and no-one kills the children anymore.” His quote was a surprising, but utterly fitting tribute. The ceremony was followed by a reception kindly hosted by the Hong Kong Sea School.
25 Michael Longyear sent some very interesting extracts from letters to the Governor from Hong Kong’s evacuated wives and families, petitioning for them to be allowed to return.
24 Notch up one more for HKWD: “After 60 unsuccessful years of trying to make contact with my uncle's family you have provided the necessary information. I am greatly indebted to you.”
23 Uber-researcher Keith Andrews tracked down George Arrowsmith’s POW Index Card (see last month): Shamshuipo - 29/12/41 - 3 / 9/42 - Major Boon Shinagawa - 15/9/42 - 21/7/43 - Capt. Badger (MX) Omori - 21/7/43 - 20/7/44 - Cmdr. Mayer (American) Sumidigawa - 20/7/44 - 30/8/45 (American Army) This is proof positive that Mr Arrowsmith – as I thought - was on the first draft from Hong Kong. Harry Badger (MX) was the senior officer, accompanied by Lt James Ford MC (RS, who recently passed away. See below) and Capt. Caesar Otway (RE). Ford and Otway took almost half the men to the Yokohama Stadium Camp, while Badger took most of the remainder to Shinagawa (Tokyo Main Camp at that time). From Shinagawa, the main working party was to construct the new camp at Omori on reclaimed land in the bay. Once Omori was completed, those men moved there and Shinagawa then became the well-known POW hospital. Omori, to some degree, was also used as a transit camp. Although I could trace the POWs there, not all were still at Omori when it was liberated. Now we know that Mr Arrowsmith had been transferred to Sumidagawa (Tokyo #10B).
22 Ron Rakusen sent this very interesting link. If anyone needs a hint, this is how ‘the good guys’ ran (and should still run) POW camps: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/8060768.stm
20 It was my pleasure this evening to talk to Hong Kong’s Orders and Medals Research Society (OMRS) about my new book. The first time I met them, I had assumed they would be a bunch of anoraks who played with medals, but after discovering that the medals were often just an excuse into serious research into the lives of the men who wore them, I started to see myself as the ‘anorak who picks up rusty bullets’ instead. Interesting that almost their first question drilled into a point which I never managed to resolve: Why did only one Canadian officer go to Japan, while nearly 100 British officers did? And, why did any officers go, as they were not expected to work in the camps, and working was the entire rationale for the Japanese sending them there?
19 George Watt’s (HKPF, Stanley) family got in touch to say that he passed away yesterday at the age of 93. 19 Bill Lake let me know that he is currently typing up a very detailed diary by an architect (no longer with us) who was in Stanley Camp.
18 Today I received a commissioning letter from HKUP. They, through the book’s two editors, have asked me to write short articles on Maltby, Fraser, and Harcourt for the new Dictionary of Hong Kong Biography. Funny, though, that this little (and enjoyable) job will earn me about half what I earn in a typical year from the royalties on my ‘real’ books!
17 Had a good walk this morning up Old Peak Road, along Lugard Road, down to Pinewoods Battery, down again on Hatton Road, and home along Conduit Road. I was pleased to see that they had done a respectable job of the Pinewoods Battery ‘heritage trail’ (or whatever it is called). 17 Tad Hosoi, who is publishing Frank Evans’ book in Japanese, needs a photo of the harbour (from Kowloon side) taken in around 1980. Can anyone help? If it closely matches any of those taken around 1940, so much the better.
13 The HKVCA is trying to locate the family of the late Lt William Bradley, RRoC, if anyone can help. This is in relation to a drawing of his having been discovered in the Bell diary.
12 Had lunch with Peter Clarke today, to discuss possible routes for the Hong Kong Club walks later in the year. The Peak and Pinewoods Battery, Wong Nai Chung Gap to Middle Gap via the two mountains, and Wanchai Gap to Bennett’s Hill are all looking possible. 12 The Canadian Consulate were kind enough today to send me the final reports on the DNA of the remains. These showed too much variation in the mitochondrial DNA between the two samples (the unknown, and a member of Gray’s family) to be a match. They also noted that “The lower right first molar had been lost for many months, if not years before death and the socket had reabsorbed”, and this did not match Gray’s dental records. Lastly, they discovered that “In life, the individual had retained a glancing injury to either the left or right arm, months to years before death”. So, we are left with no firm idea of who this really was.
11 Interesting correspondence today with old friend Dr Dan Waters. Dan is the gentleman who discovered that Sergeant Major Osborn VC hailed from a family in Foulden, Norfolk (perhaps 15 miles from where I was born). Next time I’m in those parts, I must see if any traces of the family remain there. 11 Michael Longyear sent some scans of wartime and immediate post-war notes from Hong Kong, including one overstamped with “Hongkong Government $1” with which the economy was kick-started in 1945.
10 Today the SCMP’s Annemarie Evans published a story about the finding of the helmet and remains in Kowloon in 2004. This was triggered by the fact that the remains are finally going to be buried this month, but under a ‘Known Unto God’ stone, as the DNA testing did not show that these remains were those of Private John Gray (Winnipeg Grenadiers), as I had believed. 10 Herman Tadema-Wielandt’s (HKVDC) daughter got in touch, letting me know that her father had passed away in 1988. I believe this is the first Dutch HKVDC family to have made contact. Interestingly, nurse ND82 of the HKVDC was also a Tadema-Wielandt, but they are not sure what relation she was. 10 Richard Hide sent a photo of his meeting with Lt R. R. W. Ashby's son Vaughan, his wife Suzy, & SOE agent Colin McEwan's daughter Alison at Vaughan's house in St Gilles. “It was a most fascinating weekend with Vaughan digging out a considerable number of photographs and documents relating to the escape as well as the dog eared ships log for MTB 07.”
8 Michael Longyear sent a scan of a letter sent by Alec Howard in Shamshuipo to his wife who had been evacuated to Australia. Not unusually, it took a year (minus 20 days) to arrive. 8 Craig Mitchell is trying to identify what looks like a detonator from a WWII bomb which turned up near Jardine’s Lookout. 8 I was looking at the statistics generated by this site, and discovered that each day 50-100 people at least look at the home page. Surprisingly high numbers.
7 Today I received a very nice letter from Mrs Betty Beer, the sister of Douglas Chapman, Middlesex, who was lost on the Lisbon Maru. 7 Thomas Vincent let me know of a very interesting envelope and letter he bought at auction. It had been returned to the family of James Pollock, Royal Scots, after he was lost on the Lisbon Maru. 7 Walk Hong Kong is now offering tours of the battlefields (http://www.walkhongkong.com/) led by old friend Martin Heyes. 7 Had my annual checkup at the Matilda Hospital. It was a bright day, with haze in the hills, and I took the opportunity to get a few good photos of the building and views.
6 Wendy Rossini’s (civilian internee at Stanley) daughter got in touch. 6 I heard the sad news today that Oliver Lindsay (The Lasting Honour, At the Going Down of the Sun, and the more recent The Battle For Hong Kong) has passed away. His two first books did more than anything else to get me interested in this subject.
3 Today I was very pleased to receive a copy of a very long letter written by J. A. Morrison to his wife, detailing his escape (facilitated by Sergeant Lo, BAAG) from Hong Kong Bank in October 1942. 3 I finished reading Phillip Harman’s ‘Hellions of Hirohito’. It was a very readable book, surprising in some places, but the occasional mistake (such as knowing the Murray Parade Ground phonetically as the ‘Merry Playground’) actually added credence. 3 Bad news today, though it had to come at some point: http://news.scotsman.com/obituaries/James-Ford.5196854.jp (thanks to Martin Heyes for passing this on). As can be seen from the text, James Ford, MC, was a man of letters as well as a heroic figure in the struggle for Hong Kong and the POW Camps. I was lucky to have his help in completing my most recent book, but perhaps the best description of him is that from Leonard Birchall within. Douglas Ford, GC, of course (James’ older brother, very much of the same mold) is still with us in Hong Kong, beneath a stone in Stanley Cemetery.
2 Today I returned from a business trip to San Francisco to find Dingy Bell’s diary waiting for me. The first thing that struck me is how fresh each of the drawings within were; clearly this work has seldom been opened. My first task was to scan each page at 600dpi to ensure that it would all be preserved. One drawing that particularly took my fancy was by Lieutenant Bradley (RRoC) of a wintry Canadian scene, but there were many others that were equally strong. 2 Dennis Morley (RS) was kind enough to send me an old ‘red Book’ about the part of the UK I am from. In it, he included a couple of photos, including one taken on a recent visit to the Yokohama Cemetery. 2 Isabelle Clough sent me a very nice version of Cuthbert Gowland’s wedding photo (see last month’s report). 2 Wes Injerd was kind enough to send me this story about the recent reprint of Corrigan’s (Winnipeg Grenadiers) diary (I am half way through reading it myself): http://www.prairiepost.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=3751&Itemid=28
The Gowland Wedding (courtesy Jan Hollis), Letter from Alec Howard (courtesy Michael Longyear), John Cook (courtesy Petula Boddy) Laureat Bacon (courtesy Yves Chevarie), A theatre in HK, by John Cook (courtesy Petula Boddy), Middlesex Regt. post-war (courtesy Brian Merlock) William Ward (courtesy Derrick Rothwell), WSST in Dymocks (author), The Tucker Wedding (Glynis Tucker)
April News
When I changed to the current website format, which allows me to display nine high-res and one low-res photos each month, I really thought I would have a chance to show or re-show many of the images in my archives. However, I failed to take into account months like this, in which I receive five or six times more good photos than I have space to show! So I’m learning to cheat a bit by making montages when time allows.
27 George Edward Arrowsmith’s (RE) daughter got in touch.
26 A.P. Gray contacted me from Canada, noting that he has the saxophone from Shamshuipo’s Canadian jazz band in his possession. It “was repatriated along with other band instruments about 1947 or so and arrived at Minto Barracks in Winnipeg. It is a Conn vintage 1926.”
24 William Ward’s (RE) nephew got in touch, sending a fine photo. 24 Craig Mitchell sent an interesting image of a detonator/fuse marked “No 8I **** RZRL 1/31 166” which turned up in the Jardine’s Lookout area. Tony Williams in the UK is trying to track down an appropriate expert to help identify it. 24 I received a large cache of photographs from Jan Hollis (daughter of Cuthbert Gowland, Stanley Platoon). Most of these are of her parents’ wedding. No prizes for recognizing the location – the entrance to St John’s Cathedral has hardly changed. 24 Michael Longyear sent an example of a Hong Kong Liberation Day ‘first day cover’. The franking was August 29 1945, and the envelope contained a cutting from a Hong Kong newspaper of the previous day. The cutting “describes the design of the stamps by the PMG (Hong Kong) who was interned by the Japanese. He started the design in 1943 in anticipation of the liberation of Hong Kong. He was helped in the POW camp by Mr W E Jones, Senior draughtsman of the HK Public Works Dept.” Later, Michael also sent a cover celebrating Hong Kong’s centenary.
21 Douglas Vernon Chapman’s (Middlesex) sister got in touch. Chapman had been badly wounded in Dunkirk before being posted to Hong Kong. He lost his life on the Lisbon Maru.
19 While one of HKWD’s major themes is the linking of history to today (especially through family connections), occasionally there is a slightly more immediate call for help. A lady who had lost her engagement ring was apparently told that I ‘was good at finding things’. After assembling a small team of searchers, we gathered today at the popular beach in question. Within 40 minutes, the ring was back on the appropriate finger (illustrated). When told that it had been lost there on March 14, we had to admit that had we known that, we wouldn’t have even bothered looking!
18 Mem Maria De V. Soares’ (HKVDC) nephew got in touch. He has helped correct several of the Portuguese names in my lists, and is doing his best to locate a full list of 5 Coy personnel.
17 I suppose googling yourself is rather a sad pastime, but I did it today to see if any reviews (official or not) have yet appeared for WSST. I didn’t find any, but I did find this interesting link in a blog: http://orientalsweetlips.spaces.live.com/blog/cns!707C1787E97F2563!1314.entry 17 Yves Chevarie sent another good photo of Laureat Bacon, Royal Rifles of Canada. He is wondering if Mr Bacon was one of those who swam from Eucliffe to Chung Hom Kok. 17 From Gordon at the HKHAA: http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/eo20090415a1.html. I doubt you would have seen this in a Japanese publication a few years ago.
16 Today Petula Boddy sent a number of good photos of and relating to John Cook, RASC, who died in Japan. One photo strongly suggests that he had ‘another half’ called Edna, who the family thinks may have been American. Unfortunately their post-war efforts to trace her were not successful. 16 Today I was asked to speak at the unveiling of a plaque by the Canadian Consulate at St Stephen’s College. I was quite pleased with what I said, but then the Canadian Minister for International Trade, Stockwell Day, got up. He spoke without notes about his maternal grandfather, who had fought in Hong Kong with the Royal Rifles and returned to Canada in 1945 in broken health, dying the following year, still in hospital. Three times he had to pause to recover his composure, once for a full two minutes – during which he stood without the slightest embarrassment, until he was ready to continue. All I can say is that if you had dropped a neutral observer into the room when we started, and mentioned that one speaker was a professional politician, the other someone passionately interested in the subject, she would have reported: “Well, the British politician wasn’t a lot of use, but that Canadian guy who spoke from the heart - he had me in tears.”
15 Four years ago I received a set of six photos of Americans at Stanley Camp, which I posted to the Stanley Yahoo group today. They were aware of several of these photos, though not all, and managed to identify most of those pictured. 15 Received an invitation from Richard Hide to join the Great 1941 MTB Escape re-enactment here in Hong Kong at Christmas. I don’t yet know when I will be in town, but it certainly looks a lot of fun. The letter and envelope were perfect recreations of those of 1941, complete with censor’s label and 1941 franking! Alas, the letter also contained the news that Henry Hsu, the last known survivor from the escape, had passed away on Feb 3rd. Look for more news from HERO (Hongkong Escape Re-enactment Escape Organisation) as the event gets closer.
14 Nicholas Alexander Tonoff-Zavadsky’s (HKVDC) son got back in touch. 14 Passed through Dymocks in Prince’s Building today and was pleased to see that not only did they have a big pile of WSSTs on display, but they were conveniently placed next to an equally big pile of Solly Bard’s memories, Light and Shade!
12 John Morrison’s (Civilian, HSBC) niece got in touch. Morrison was one of those ‘spirited away’ from Hong Kong.
10 Gerry Tuppert has confirmed where in Canada the Canadian POWs’ Index Cards are held, and how to access them. 10 Michael Longyear sent me an interesting letter from his uncle Alec Howard.
7 Jonathan Nigel (E.J.R. Mitchell’s grandson, and F.G. Nigel’s son) was kind enough to put me in touch with a number of Hong Kong’s pre-war civilian evacuees. 7 Norman Foster Tuckers’ (HKVDC) daughter-in-law got in touch with the Stanley Community. She forwarded a very good photograph of the Tuckers’ wedding.
6 Brian Merlock sent two photos of his father with the Middlesex Regiment post-war. His father (fourth from left, back row) was one of many ex-HK POWs who rejoined the army soon after the war, possibly finding it a useful step in rehabilitation.
5 Two people have noted that I incorrectly referred to Sergeant Major Osborn as Sergeant Osborn in last moth’s blog. Martin Heyes, for one, points out: “There is a world of difference between the two ranks, even though both are members of the Sergeants’ Mess. A Sergeant is an N.C.O. - respectable enough in itself - but a W.O. 2 (and of course a W.O. 1) holds the Sovereign's Warrant, just as a commissioned officer holds the Sovereign's Commission. Woe betide any soldier (or officer) who refers to a Sergeant Major as a ‘Sergeant’, as I well remember from my time in the Army!” 5 Isabelle Clough got back in contact noting: “I see that Cuthbert Gowland’s grand daughter got in touch with you. I would be interested in communicating with her. I knew her grandparents. In fact my brother and I were attendants at their wedding in Hong Kong in 1934. I have photographs of the wedding.” Small world!
4 Anna Rozario was kind enough to pass on a photo of Doc Molthen. 4 A sad byproduct of my email blast to so many people interested in Hong Kong’s wartime history has been the number of responses that have included details of veterans who have passed away: Rodney Giddins, Royal Artillery, April 2009 Alfred Bright, Middlesex, March 2009 Graham Hill, Middlesex, October 2008 Clifford Matthews, Winnipeg Grenadiers, October 2006 4 Ray Pellor’s (Winnipeg Grenadiers) niece got in touch. 4 Richard Lightfoot was kind enough to let me know that: “the Europe agents for HKUPress (Eurospan, based in London) are offering the book with a 15% discount to customers who sign up to their email address. Plus free p&p within the UK. Their web address is: www.eurospanbookstore.com”
3 Following last month’s photos, Henry Ching is asking in anyone knows the story behind the Chinese Memorial Gate in the Botanic Gardens? How was it erected, and by who? 3 Interviewed today by Annemarie Evans for a forthcoming article in the South China Morning Post. 3 I keep the email addresses of all correspondents on HK history, and whenever a new book comes out, I sent a short notice to the whole list. There were about 1,000 on it this time, of which about 200 bounced back – despite the fact that all had been active between June 2006 and today. Interesting that to so many people, an email address is still considered a transient thing.
Elmer Smith (courtesy Frazer Smith), Junior Banhams: Unbridled enthusiasm at new book (author), Brownlow's tomb (courtesy Dorothy Betts) Jubillee Buildings (courtesy TK), Shamshuipo from air (courtesy Wes Injerd), Shamshuipo on modern map (author) Lowe, Claytons, Stebbe at Wanchai Gap 2005 (author), Colleen Stebbe at Wanchai Gap 2009 (author), War-damaged Chinese memorial at Botanic Gardens (author)
March News
We Shall Suffer There is out. Like Not The Slightest Chance before it, this is a textbook rather than a ‘good read’. It is not designed for those who want to be told what to think; instead, it is a summary – as accurate as I could make it – of the basic facts behind the Hong Kong POW experience. My job was to create the most accurate chronology of events, and then simply populate it with the words of those who were there (readers wanting an ‘analytical’ historian who would tell everyone what he ‘would have done had I been Hitler’ should look elsewhere). The idea of such books is that they provide a dependable foundation upon which other research – by myself or others – can be built. Anyone who wants a copy quickly should order via HKUP’s website: (http://www.hkupress.org/Common/Reader/Products/ShowProduct.jsp?Pid=1&Version=0&Cid=10&Charset=iso-8859-1&page=-1&idx=6). No doubt it will be available on Amazon, but based on previous experience, that could be in a month or two’s time.
30 Christopher Caul’s (Middlesex) daughter got in touch.
29 Today I finally finished superimposing wartime aerial reconnaissance photos of the Hong Kong POW Camps onto modern maps. These can be found on the ‘Book 3’ page of this site. The idea is that visitors to Hong Kong who want to see where the camps were, can print these out and take them along. The three good-quality recce photos also included (thanks to Richard Morgan) come with permission from Wes Injerd’s excellent site at http://home.comcast.net/~winjerd/Supply/Encmpmnt/POWE01.html. Interesting that these also label Peak Mansions as ‘Bowen Road Hospital’.
28 Sergeant Robert Osborn’s (VC, Winnipeg Grenadiers) granddaughter got in contact. I have been in contact with her mother for a few years, and it’s good to have the next generation showing an interest.
27 Elmer Smith’s (Royal Rifles) son got in touch, and sent through a raft of very interesting photos and letters. These included details of his father’s field service cap (illustrated), which was found in Stanley in 1942 by Clyde Cook, an American child interned there. Immediately after the war, Cook’s family took the time to return the item to Canada (rather as Percy Chittenden’s diary – found in a Wanchai garden after the war- was returned to him). 27 Received a letter from Taffy Evans today. He’s a favourite of our kids, as his invitation to his 90th birthday consisted of a photo of him in his leathers on his motorbike; you can’t keep the Middies down. Today’s letter mentioned the POW songs and poems that he has been keeping: Kobe House Blues - 1943 Handsome Harry - 1944 Do it all Over again - Cpl Colly, RE, 943 On the Road to USA – Cpl Wright My Passage to the Sea – Alan Potter, St John’s Ambulance To Past Members of 27 Coy RAMC Hell Ship (Lisbon Maru) That Distant Day The Charge of the Rice Brigade What Did POW Years Mean to You – J.J. Walker, HKVDC After the latter, he notes: “The sincerity and depth of feeling with which this was written can never be doubted”. I have the words of these and more – and even recordings of ex-POWs singing one or two. At some point I should document these properly; it would be a shame to lose them.
25 Today my ten free copies of We Shall Suffer There arrived. I’ll have to order more…
23 It seems we may have found a home for the amazing Bell diary, at Crown Wine Cellars in Hong Kong. Stay tuned for more details. In the meantime, we are also looking for more details about the author. SQMS Frederick Walter Bell, 14470945, was born on 03.09.1897 in London. He served in 12 Company, Royal Army Service Corps. His next of kin is recorded as Miss L.L. Bell, 204 the Avenue, London N17. He stayed in Shamshuipo until liberation. Can anyone add more?
21 I hear that BQMS Charles Barman’s diary is speeding towards publication by HKUP. This will be a real treat for those interested in the details of the Hong Kong battle, and of Argyle Street Camp, as Barman features heavily – and uniquely – in both.
19 The Alresford Historical and Literary Society (long may they flourish!) is researching their local war memorials, upon which is inscribed the name of Gunner Cecil Tubb, RA, who died on pneumonia in Kobe, Japan having survived the Lisbon Maru. I have not been contacted by his family, so does anyone know of a photo?
18 Charles Francis Knox’s (HKRNVR) son got in touch. Knox served on the Frosty (see last month’s blog). Uncle David Knox, also HKRNVR, was lost on the Lisbon Maru, whilst aunt Nora Hillon (nee Knox) was in Stanley Camp room 4/26 (she was married to Sergeant Hillon of the HKVDC), and a further uncle – Henry Eardley – was also a POW.
16 Dorothy Betts, a cultural Historian living in The Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus says: “I have been asked by the Trustees of the British Cyprus Memorial to create a booklet of the individuals who lie buried in the British Cemetery in Kyrenia. Visit (www.britishcyprusmemorial.org) for more detail about the project and the Trustees. The Memorial project is actually a two fold exercise. The erection of a long overdue commemoration of the sacrifice made by British Services Personnel during the late 1950's, together with a major restoration project of the 'Old' British Cemetery in Kyrenia, where the memorial is to be erected. Those interred in this cemetery represent a repository of British Colonial History. As you will see from the web site there are a number of distinguished military people including Captain Norman Brownlow who was aboard the Lisbon Maru when she was torpedoed. He died on the 30th September 1976, and is buried in the Old British Cemetery in Kyrenia.” She is looking for more information on Brownlow. I of course pointed her to the Regimental museum (which has an oil painting of him, and a description of his decoration for rescuing fellow survivors from the water), but does anyone else have anything to add?
13 Sad to relate, Sergeant Osborn VC’s (Winnipeg Grenadiers) son Garry passed away today. Osborn senior was of course a Norfolk boy, born fifteen miles or so from my own birthplace, and it’s a shame that no one has yet written his biography. His daughter once described to me how her mother and father met (“She saw him rescuing people from a burning house”…), which gives some idea of the man’s character.
12 Len Syke’s (HKVDC) daughter got in touch. She is currently typing up his diaries. Sadly, she notes that he passed away last month (17.2.1913 to 22.2.2009). He was Company Quarter Master Sergeant in the HKVDC Engineers, joining up not long after his arrival in Hong Kong from the UK, in September ’38. His signature is one of those on the drawing of the UK (by Geoff Coxhead, HKVDC) with Winston Churchill superimposed on it in Terence Kelly’s book “Living With Japanese”.
10 The Historic Military Vehicle Forum today published a review of Not The Slightest Chance. http://www.hmvf.co.uk/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=344:not-the-slightest-chance-by-tony-banham&catid=22:books&Itemid=79. It’s nice to be reviewed by those who understand that history does not need to be embellished and dramatized ‘News of the World’ style. We Shall Suffer There follows this dry (and in my opinion, very appropriate) style. 10 I received a note saying: “I am involved with trying to trace details of Old Worcesters who were lost in World War II and whose names have been omitted from our war memorial in London. One of those is Alexander RAMSAY, who was employed by the Indo China Navigation Co, possibly as a member of their sea staff, and who was thought to have been killed during the Japanese invasion.” However, as far as I can see, Ramsay, and his wife and son (also Alexander Ramsay) survived the war. 10 Rog Mansell, on a trip to NARA, found the Dr Clive report for Shinagawa hospital (Record Group 408 Box 189). This helps confirm many details, including various things that happened at Shinagawa before Dr Clive arrived. 10 Dave Deptford note two items of interest in Dix, Noonan, Webb auction in London of 26th March 2009 (see their website http://www.dnw.co.uk/medals/). Lot 25 - Group 6 to ex Chief Inspector H B Dewar (Lofty) ex HKP, interned in Stanley, retired 1962 and later Chief Security Officer at the Hilton, killed in BOAC crash off Bombay in July 1963. Est GBP800+. Lot 113 - OBE and Great War M.C. group of 11 to Lt Col R D Walker HKVDC, wounded and captured and PoW. Est GBP 1400+. The latter is particularly interesting as two Winnipeg Grenadiers were in turn decorated for rescuing him under fire in Wong Nai Chung Gap. See: http://www.hkvca.ca/historical/Honours/mc/blackwood.htm 10 Richard Hide was kind enough to send me the log of MTB07. 10 Johnathan Moffatt was kind enough to alert me to COFEPOW’s new POW database: http://www.cofepowdb.org.uk/cdb2/Index.jsp
9 Chris Anderson was kind enough to tell me about another book written about Hong Kong by a internee of Stanley: "HELLIONS OF HIROHITO" By Phillip Harman, Narration by Eric Heath, Foreword by General Russell Hearn. I have ordered a copy from the Interweb already.
7 Max Holroyd sent me a very interesting two-page report, an outline of his father’s (also Max Holroyd) escape that was submitted in New Delhi on the 10th May 1943. He notes: “Whilst I don’t know if it was submitted by my Father or one of the others, it does seem likely it might have been my father.”
6 Annelise Connell notes: “I'm updating the St. Stephen's Chapel website, and have been looking into the original Peak Church from where the brass cross came. I've been trawling the Web and have created a page of some info at http://stanleymarket.org/PeakChurch.htm. If anyone has more, I would be interested.” I am a bit surprised as I always thought that the cross originated in the old Stanley chapel at the Fort.
3 So far no luck in tracing the grave of Anna M Fielding (maiden name Martiney), who appears to have died at some point between June 1940 and Dec 41. She had married Leslie Stuart Fielding, Royal Scots Regiment, in 1937. Anna Fielding died of cancer, and her Death Certificate was signed by D. A. Duke, Captain Adjutant, 2nd Bn. The Royal Scots. The family thought she had been buried in the Colonial Cemetery, but this doesn’t seem to be the case. 3 Albert Edward (Buzz) Saw’s (Middlesex) niece is trying to learn more about Albert’s wife and daughter, both called Mona. Albert married Mona in Hong Kong or Singapore. She was of Indian descent, but hailed from South Africa. Albert was killed on 24th December 1941 at Morrison Hill. His wife and child were interned in Stanley throughout the war. Mona was a nurse of Indian descent but came from South Africa. Apparently she went back to S.A. after the war and the Saws in London lost touch with her. Family legend had it that a Japanese soldier hit the baby on the head with a rifle to stop her crying and thus she had a horseshoe shaped scar.
2 Taffy Evans – one of the few remaining Die Hards from Hong Kong, who has just opened his new computer shop in Manila, was kind enough to respond to my question about Ernest Viner of the Middlesex. He recalled that Viner was in C Company. 2 HKVCA got in touch, noting that one of the photos in the December blog is also in their site: http://www.hkvca.ca/galleries/Gallery/Group%20Photos/slides/Shamshuipo2.htm 2 Boris Gellman’s (HKVDC) nephew got in touch. He notes that Gellman died in 1994. This is a shame, as he was on of the last two people to see John Gray (Winnipeg Grenadiers) alive before he disappeared forever Kowloon-side on or around Dec 12 1941. I had always hoped he might have some clues as to Gray’s demise. 2 Courtesy of my sister, today I received the Britain At War magazine for January. This included the very interesting article by Bill Gill on HMS Thracian’s service with the IJN after she was refloated when Hong Kong surrendered. (A very interesting magazine, by the way).
1 Geoff Viner confirms for last month’s photo: “Just thought I would confirm that the man in uniform on the right is indeed Wallace Matthew Wood (my uncle). I am now sure I was told this some years back but when I saw photo again after all this time, for some reason, I thought he was a friend from the Middlesex (last I saw Uncle Wally, I was 14). My Aunt, his sister, confirmed this yesterday. She wondered whether you had any other information in relation to him? She did say that both my Dad and Wally were together floating on ‘some wood’ before being picked up by a Japanese vessel. She also said they witnessed men being shot in the water by the Japanese. Wally was definitely affected mentally by the experience and after learning of Dad's death wrote a letter to us addressed to ‘The Late Mr Charles Viner’ (I mentioned Dad changed his name). The letter from memory was very long and contained much in relation to their internment.” 1 Colleen Stebbe (daughter of Larry Stebbe, Winnipeg Grenadiers) arrived in Hong Kong together with her aunt, and we had a pleasant walk around the battlefields from Wong Nai Chung to Wanchai Gap. I had walked the same ground with her father around four years earlier. 1 TK sent some interesting old photos of the HK POW camps being used as refugee camps again post-war.
Image:
February Images
Middlesex news cutting (courtesy Bruce Waldron), Argyle Street Hut (courtesy Susan Blumberg), Page from the Bell Diary (courtesy Derek Bailey) Hamilton Letter (courtesy Philip Trumble), Herbert Dixon and friends (courtesy Lorna Manson, via Ross Lynneberg), Above Repulse Bay (courtesy Robert Gibson) Dateline Certificate (courtesy Max Holroyd), Viner Wedding (courtesy Geoff Viner), Percy Chittenden (courtesy Ken Blackmore)
February News
This month’s report is so long that I’ll have to keep the intro brief. Suffice it to say that We Shall Suffer There is expected any moment. (Though I would appreciate feedback on the new photo format).
26 In the December blog I mentioned hearing from someone, via Canadian friends, who had found the diary of an RASC man. My emails were not returned, so I let it pass believing it would be a ‘standard’ HK POW diary with little new to add. Today Derek Bailey contacted me and showed me the whole thing. Seldom have I so enjoyed being so wrong! The author, ‘Dingy’ Bell, had a great eye and a steady hand, and the cartoons and sketches that fill this document bring so many forgotten episodes to light. It will take me a while to go through it all, but this is a document that deserves to be seen and celebrated. Derek seems very much of the same mind, so the question is: Who could make the best use of it? 26 Via Henry Ching and Ron Taylor (HK), today I received Arthur May’s provisional list of the Ma Tau Wei internees. Only 100 or so are listed, so it is probably incomplete, but it is the first of the kind I have seen. The only list now still completely missing is that for Rosary Hill. 26 Faye Powell is looking for the family of Victor Robert J. Merrett, HKDDC, who passed away in 1991 in Devon. Can anyone help?
23 It looks like I’ll be writing a short history of the HKDDC for the Royal Asiatic Society. More on that as it develops.
22 Had a good walk with HK Club. It was a misty morning which didn’t bode well, but it cleared up later. The route was around Violet Hill to talk about The Ridge (and subsequent massacres) and the Repulse Bay Hotel, and then back east along the Repulse Bay and Deepwater Bay beaches to talk about pillboxes 17 through 14. Almost 40 people turned up, which was rather more than I had bargained for as the majority of the walk was in single file along narrow paths! Afterwards, Robert Gibson was kind enough to send me some fine photos. Peter Clarke was also kind enough to pass me a 1964 Military Report By Lt Col R.J. Durant, AEC on the fall of Hong Kong, which had been lent by Adam Osborn. There was not a great deal in it that was ‘new’, but there was a very interesting note that Maltby’s intelligence had largely been provided by liaison officers sent by his predecessor – Grasset – to ChunKing.
21 Donald Chan reported that the Mingpao Weekly Publication of 21.2 had included a very good article on the Dec 25 MTB escapees.
20 Had a lovely letter from Bob & Marilynn Armacost (Bob was captain of one of the B24s that crashed just after liberation, while ferrying POWs). In WSST I mention that when they gave me permission to quote for the book they said something like: “Any little kid who can track down someone he doesn’t know half way across the road can use whatever he wants.” I thought they were joking when they said ‘little kid’, but it turns out they were serious and were very surprised to receive a Christmas card from me with a photo of my two sons wearing suits! Arguably this doesn’t say much for the maturity of my letter-writing style…
19 Geoff Emerson sent a fine photo of himself and Mark Huang in the chapel at Stanley holding the cross that was used by the Internees during the war. (Illustrated). 19 Charles and Audrey Evans’ (Stanley Internees) great nephew got in touch.
17 I needed to get photos of Herbert Dixon, the New Zealand POW of radio fame, so I contacted the last of the wartime Hong Kong New Zealanders I am still in contact with – Ross Lynneberg. It took him a few days, but he was kind enough to track one down.
15 Gerry Tuppert has found yet another example of a Canadian POW Index Card on the web: http://www.hkvca.ca/historical/accounts/williambell/chapter5.htm. Can someone please find the mother lode?
14 Found myself in KGV again for the morning, so went to find the original burial place of Mogra and McKillop, two of the badly wounded men from the ‘black hole’ at Wong Nai Chung who made it as far as Argyle Street before expiring. Needless to say, the hillside on which they were originally interred is now a housing estate.
13 Richard Finch’s (RN, Lisbon Maru) nephew got in touch.
11 Following a visit to KGV, I found that Walter John Butler Keates, a schoolboy interned at Stanley, is recorded on the Roll of Honour in the main hall as having lost his life in Korea. I just had time to add this fact into the relevant section of We Shall Suffer There, and then started looking for details. From Henry Ching, via Ian McNay I learned that: “Walter Keates was editor of the China Mail. When the SCMP Ltd bought over the China Mail, Keates came over with it and continued to be the editor. His wife was Eurasian. They had two daughters, Dorothy, the eldest, and Barbara who went to the DGS. John was younger than his sisters. In 1941 they were 12 (Dorothy), 11 (Barbara) and 10 (John). After the surrender the whole family was initially interned in the Matilda Hospital, and from there was moved to Stanley Internment Camp… Keates had a problem in one ear and had difficulty keeping his balance. He was crossing Des Voeux Road one evening, on his way to his home in Kowloon somewhere in Mody Road or Chatham Road, when a tram knocked him down. He suffered quite serious head injuries, but recovered and resumed work after some time in hospital. - Assuming that Sub. Lt. Walter J.B. Keates was our John Keates, you may be interested to know that he was in 801 Squadron of the Fleet Air Arm, serving on the aircraft carrier Glory, and that officially he was missing believed killed after an aircraft crash.” This struck a chord with me as 801 was flying the Hawker Sea Fury at the time. My uncle was on the design team of the engine, my (Dutch) flying instructor flew them in Korea, and my mother was a junior air traffic controller for them in the Wrens. It was also – in my opinion – the most beautiful aircraft ever built (take a bow, Sir Sydney!).
10 Ernest Viners’s (Middlesex, Lisbon Maru) son got in touch. He included a great photo of his father’s wedding day in late 45.
9 Had lunch today at the Repulse Bay Hotel, together with a friend and the property’s management. The subject for discussion was the possibility of including the hotel’s wartime period in the exhibitions currently being installed within. I don’t suppose anyone has photos of the tunnel that the civilians sheltering at the hotel used as a sort of air-raid shelter during the siege? I had always assumed it was to the east of the main hotel block, but the management (correctly, as it turned out when I asked a friend of mine who had been there in the war) told me it was to the west, under the old green house. 9 Today I received from HKUP the final cover for We Shall Suffer There. It’s all done bar the printing. 9 Bruce Waldron sent a nice cutting about the Middlesex in HK from the Daily Herald. This article proved what I had long believed, that the Middlesex were largely recruited from a small area of London.
6 Vladimir Alexander Itenson’s (HKVDC) son got in touch again. He is also related to anther Volunteer Private J. H. Horowitz (both of those gentlemen, of course, originated in Russia). 6 Douglas Haig Hamilton’s (HKVDC) son-in-law posted an email to the FEPOW community noting that Hamilton was in Innoshima Camp and kept a diary. The diary mentions J.M Mackinnon so if Fiona Mackinnon is still looking for details of the old man, please contact me. 6 A little bird tells me that the Canadian Consulate are planning to place a tasteful plaque in St Stephen’s College Stanley, dedicated to the Canadians who lost their lives there in the courageous defence of the village. This is an excellent idea, and is surely something that other Consulates should consider emulating for their own nationals?
5 Max Holroyd was kind enough to copy me on a fascinating email about his parents (father: BAAG after escape from Hong Kong, mother: Force 136 after being sent by the SOE to Singapore, traveling via San Francisco and the Clipper). 5 The Batgung boys posted some great stuff on PB22 today: http://www.batgung.com/node/1824#comment-7701. They also have a video of the interior of the JLO tunnel I mentioned last month: http://www.batgung.com/node/2431
4 Ken Blackmore, nephew of Percy Chittenden of the Middlesex and the Lisbon Maru, dropped into my office with an incredible packet of bits and pieces that the old boy had kept. What made these so interesting was the fact that these were all the sort of ‘uninteresting’ things that families typically throw away. Among other photos and documents there was a great deal about the time from liberation to returning to the UK. These included a magazine fro the USS Joseph T. Dickman, a map and documents from the Fifth Replacement Depot (near Manila), a caution against POWs publicizing their experiences – dated, most interestingly, as early as July 15 1945 – the day that Gadget was tested, and a copy of the ‘Dickman Drift’ (yet another of the daily publications issued by the ships bringing the POWs home).
3 Susan Zachary’s papers arrived. These included interview notes with her mother, Peggy Wilson, about Stanley, and also her father’s war diary (Lt Daniel Wilson, HKRNVR, who was temporarily in charge of APV Frosty). As Peggy Wilson’s wartime experiences seemed to mirror Barbara Anslow’s, I emailed the latter for her recollections: “Tony, Yes I knew Peggy Wilson well, and worked in the same Secretariat Office with her in 1938 before she married Danny Wilson. Her maiden name was McCaw, she had 2 younger sisters Muriel and Dorothy. Muriel also joined the HK Govt. as a stenographer pre-war and at one time also worked at the Secretariat (then called the C.S.O.) while I was there. I'm in occasional correspondence with Muriel in Oz, just recently she moved into a retirement home. Another C.S.O. stenographer, Mary Taylor (who postwar married Douglas Stewart), went to lodge with Peggy and her husband Danny in their flat in Macdonnell Road. During the HK battle, Peggy came to work for the ARP Dept in the Govt. Tunnel, on the same shift as me. I then was billeted in Dina House, but as Danny was away from home with the RNVR, and Mary had a billet in the town, Peggy invited me to lodge with her, which I did, grateful to be able to leave the dormitory accommodation in Dina House, even though it entailed a hairy walk between Macdonnell Rd and the Tunnel. She and I usually were on the early morning shift; in the late afternoons Peggy used to drive lorries or trucks wherever required. She was very good to me. A middle aged friend of Peggy's later joined us in the flat, and for security all 3 of us slept in the same room. He was Sidney Harris, a Gas Detection Officer. When some days later the shelling etc. increased, I moved back to Dina House which wasn't so exposed as Macdonnell Road. We ARP lot were, after the surrender, sent to the Tai Koon Hotel, and a few days later Peggy and Danny were among 300 more internees who joined us there, but on different floors. Danny was taken ill, and on the day we were about to leave for Stanley, he was taken to hospital with pneumonia, Peggy went with him. Both ended up in Stanley. I didn't have contact with them after the war. Danny died not long after he and Peggy retired to UK, electrocuted I believe while using an electric hedge cutter(?). Peggy died several years ago. I may still have a group photo of us stenographers taken outside the Secretariat about 1940. Barbara” 3 Ron Rakusen was kind enough to struggle through problems with email, and answer two points on the January blog (covering Francis Braun and Phyllis Bliss). 3 The indefatigable (I don’t often get the chance to use that fine word) Roger Mansell has now finished adding the Innoshima (Hiroshima #5B) liberation roster to his site. Take a look. There are lots of well-known HKDC names there: http://www.mansell.com/pow_resources/camplists/hiroshima/hiro_5_innoshima/hiro_5_british_roster.html#anchor310274 3 Dave Deptford pointed me to: http://www.aberdeenmedals.com/shop/shop.php (type Hughes into the word search box at upper right). The medals of Lt. Col. Harry Owen-Hughes are for sale. This collection should really be in a museum.
2 Can anyone help me out? I doubt it, as I have already asked the usual suspects. In the years shortly after the war, a Spitfire Mk 24 crashed in the waters of Port Shelter. I have a twenty-year-old memory of seeing a photo of the wreck in shallow waters. Can anyone trace that photo? 2 Donald Chan gave confirmation today that the Hong Kong Museum of Coastal Defence will host the exhibition about the Dec 25 1941 MTB escape at the end of the year. Also, see: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/from_our_own_correspondent/7874460.stm 2 had an enquiry today as to the whereabouts of the transcripts of the war crimes trials held in HK. So far, the only one I have found is that of the master of the Lisbon Maru. Has anyone else been more successful? 2 Susan Blumberg, who worked as a volunteer at the Argyle Street Camp when it was a Vietnamese boat people’s camp, was kind enough to send a photo of one of the huts as at early 1991. The hut looks basically original, though it could well be a bit grandfather’s axe. Does anyone have better photos of the old Argyle Street Camp? 2 There was an interesting chat on Michael Martin’s Stanley group on the subject of IOUs for good sold in the camp. After liberation, the HK Gov suggested that all IOUs should be null and void, but in fact most ex-Internees paid them in full on the basis that - profiteering or not – these little extras kept them alive.
1 Went for a look around Jardine’s Lookout again, firstly to check the forward positions JLO 1, 2, and 3 (based on a map by Evan Stewart, commander of 3 Coy). JLO 1 and 3 have certainly fallen foul of post-war development. JLO 2 may still exist, but would need further investigation. Also had a thorough look around PB1 and found one smashed Japanese 6.5mm which had obviously been fired at the pillbox from very short range. 1 Had my first HKWD email from Poland: “I was very happy to found an information about my uncle Wladyslaw Pawel Rudrof (gunner from 1st Battery) in your publication. I live in Poland. Until this moment he was thought to be missing. So I'm writing to ask if you have any other information about him? Would you be so kind and send me confirmation of his death? Maybe you know where is he buried? Do you know where can I found any things which belong to him?” After we had made contact she noted: “He was born in Poland in Romaszowka. Had 3 brothers. We did not know he was married. After 1939 we had none information’s – until I find your book. I found the grave photo. I would like to find more informations about his wife, but I do not know where.” Nor do I. Can anyone help? 1 Kindly responding to questions last month, Dave Deptford sent the following: Gardner Bell BLACKLEY - b 26.5.1911 Scotland. Served with Seaforth Highlanders, then from 1938 to 1942 with Shanghai Municipal Police. On 22.12.1945 joined Hong Kong Police amongst a sizeable contingent of ex SMP Officers. Left HK on Vacation Leave prior to Retirement on 22.4.1947. Joseph Arthur PRIDMORE, born 13.10.1896, served Royal Navy and in 1922 joined SMP leaving in 1937. Married Juanita Elisa Greiner. I have no record of him with HKP, may only have had the briefest of service but I recall that quite a number of ex servicemen, particularly those who had married locally, obtained security related posts in such as the Kowloon Wharf Police and the Tai Koo Dock Police. 1 Also kindly answering a January question, TK sent a translation of the name of the SS Soong Cheong.
Image:
January Images
229th Memorial (author), Ferguson - ex HKVDC - at KGV (author), PB16 Lyon Light (author) Middlesex Vickers Guns (courtesy Melvin Besbrode), Maslen's medals (courtesy Paul Wallace), Maslen's MI9 form (courtesy Paul Wallace) 3 Plt Royal Rifles (courtesy Gerry Tuppert), Senpaku - unloading ships (courtesy Bruce Waldron), JLO tunnel (author)
January News
Well, that’s it. On January 28th I sent Hong Kong University Press the final bits and pieces for We Shall Suffer There. It’s a slow business with a busy publisher and a busy writer, but I received the final layout for indexing two months ago – and that’s how long it took. Half of December was out because of travel, but all the rest of my spare time went on this. The problem is primarily the diaries and letters that make up the majority of the book. Such documents refer to ‘Doug’ or ‘Mary’, so to index them usefully you have to work out precisely who is being named. Combine that with recreating three maps at 300dpi, and finding six more pages of corrections thanks to the last two proof reads, and the time just flew by…
28 Does anyone happen to know the correct Chinese characters for the ship SS Soong Cheong which took one of the drafts from Hong Kong? The same researchers are also looking for the full name of "Cardiff Joe" Matsuda. Can anyone help?
27 Richard Duddridge’s (Dock Yard Police, Lisbon Maru) niece got in touch.
23 A fellow researcher is interested in learning more about Gunner Pridmore of the Royal Artillery, who was one of the ‘hard men’ drafted to Japan on September 4, 1942. Post-war, apparently he joined the Hong Kong Police Force. Does anyone know anything about him?
22 OK, you might as well confess! Who was the hopeless romantic who today, on Amazon UK, bought both The Sinking of the Lisbon Maru and Casablanca? Still, better than the days when it said ‘customers who bought The Sinking of The Lisbon Maru also bought Harry Potter and the…’
21 Was very pleased to receive a Chinese New Year card from Dennis Morley (Royal Scots, Lisbon Maru). He never forgets. 21 Daniel Wilson’s (RNVR) daughter got in touch. She is sending me some interesting documents from her father (who took command of APV Frosty when Stephenson was hospitalized).
20 Laureat Bacon’s (Royal Rifles) grandson got in touch.
19 Albert Waldron’s (Middlesex, Lisbon Maru) son got in touch, sending 20 remarkable photos of Kobe. What made these remarkable was the fact that 16 of them were of wartime working parties or camp interiors, and they were labeled in Japanese. Thanks to a kind translator, we now have a completely unique archive. 19 I don’t normally refer to fiction, but Janice Lee was kind enough to reference this site in hers, and I am looking forward to reading the book. http://www.janiceyklee.com/hongkong.html
18 Took the Hong Kong Club walkers for ‘Cadogan Rawlinson’s last stand’ a walk that covers Jardine’s Lookout and Mount Butler. It was quite well attended, with about twenty people, and quite hard going as it turned out to be a hot day! We also stopped to look at several of the defensive tunnels dug by the Japanese late in the war when they expected an American invasion.
17 Mark Besbrode’s (Middlesex, Lisbon Maru) son got in touch. His father was one of those left at Shanghai after the sinking, and he included a very good photograph of the Middlesex with their Vickers machine guns. 17 Visited Chung Hom Kok to investigate rumours of a memorial to Japanese soldiers who blew themselves up at the end of the war rather than be captured. I had heard this story thanks to the kindness of two members of the Hong Kong Club. The truth turned out to be different, but at least equally interesting. It was in fact a ‘Toba’. The exact wording is: “Memorial service stave to pray for the repose of the war dead, the foot soldiers' No.229 regiment No. 10 company, for the 50th anniversary. From No 10 company volunteers”. These staves are left at graves or burial sites in a Buddhist ritual 1, 2, 6, 12, and 49 years later (and then 50 years after that, in theory). The question is, are there others like this still dotted around Hong Kong?
14 James McDougall’s (Royal Scots, Lisbon Maru) son got in touch.
13 A fellow researcher is asking about Lieut. Cmdr. Frederick William Mitchell, RN. Does anyone have any biographical information? He notes that: “Mitchell joined the RN as a Boy 2nd Class in 1906. Boatswain by end of the Great War. Commissioned Lieutenant on Jan. 1, 1935, and after several months of training qualified for Boom Defence work in 1938 (and was part of the Boom Defence during the siege of Hong Kong). He was repatriated in 1946, and retired as a Lieutenant Commander.” He was awarded an MBE in 1938 (New Year’s Day). Does anyone know what that was for?
12 Eduardo Silva’s (HKVDC) daughter in law got in touch. She is also related to Philippe Yvanovich of the HKVDC.
11 Walked with a friend around Violet Hill looking for evidence of the fighting there. The first part, above the site of the hotel, made perfect sense. Signs of a Japanese 7.7mm machine gun position, incoming .303 fire, and shelling from Stanley. But then, at the far east of the path, signs of unexpectedly close-in fighting – with both a Japanese 7.7mm bullet and an Allied .45, fired at close range.
9 Cicero Rozario’s (HKVDC) nephew kindly got in touch to answer last month’s question about Doc Molthen.
8 Tim Luard of the 1941 Xmas escape Re-enactment group has returned to London after a useful reconnaissance of the walk. His blog is at: http://timalisonontour.blogspot.com/. Richard Hide also sent me two pages of the SCMP from Dec 28 on the same subject. They even made the front page! 8 Together with Ron Taylor in the UK, I was able to reconnect an American who had received medical help from Henry Hamilton in Vietnam, with Henry’s niece. The reason? The niece was the daughter of Geoffrey Hamilton, who was one of the officers on the Lisbon Maru. 8 Today, Richard Hide of the Xmas 1941 Escape Re-enactment group did an interview on RTHK Radio 3. http://www.henryswebpage.com/interview/radio_interviewHK.html
7 Tom Middleton’s son contacted me again: “Just to let you know, with much sadness, that my dad passed away early this morning in Lewisham Hospital. He was 87 last September.” Tom Middleton senior (HMS Tern) is the very noticeable gentleman in the famous photo of POWs being liberated at Omori. His is the face protruding from between the knees of the US and UK flag bearers front and centre. 7 The daughter of Gardner Bell Blackley, Seaforth Highlanders, got in touch. Normally this unit would not be of immediate interest to me (they were based in Shanghai pre-war), but she notes that: “After the war, he & my mother lived in Hong Kong & he was Chief Inspector of the Star Ferry Company until 1964 (?). He was also a Freemason of the Shamrock Lodge & also a member of the Hong Kong Jockey Club. Before joining the Star Ferry, he may have been employed by the Hong Kong Police.” Has anyone come across him? 7 The son of Fazal Din, 1825, HKSRA got in touch. In fact I believe this soldier was based in Malaysia and was not in Hong Kong, but as the HKSRA are so very under-documented it is hard to be sure. 7 Dennis Percy Norris’ (Middlesex, Lisbon Maru) son-in-law got in touch. 7 The Batgung boys sent me a very interesting set of photos from the Winnipeg Tribune, of all the C Force guys set to Hong Kong.
6 John Hearn sent me his very interesting recollections of his evacuation from Hong Kong in 1940. 6 Gerry Tuppert sent me evidence of an Oral History Project, initiated by the Hong Kong Museum of History in around 1996, which appears to have canvassed as many ex—POWs as possible about their war time experiences.
4 I received an enquiry about Frederick George Maslen, Royal Engineers. In answer to my reply – stating that I knew Maslen’s name primarily from the fact that his wife Ruth, and children Michael and Pamela, were evacuated from Hong Kong in 1940 - I received the following: “As you correctly surmise, my inquiry stems from my interest in RSM Maslen's medal group, which I have the honour of having in my collection for the last few years. I also have a number of shooting awards won by RSM Maslen. He was apparently a crack shot. I have copies of RSM Maslen's POW Card as well as a portion of his post internment statement. This contains his comments on 20 August 1942 where two men (Howarth and Ferguson) attempted to escape from the camp and were shot. He mentions that Major Boon was taken to identify the bodies. I've attached a picture of Maslen's medals, in return.” Presumably there was a move or a house clearance, and “grandad’s” medals were thus disposed of. A shame in a way, but nice to know that they have ended up in a good home. 4 Reginald W. Owens & Allison Owens (Stanley Internees) son got in touch. He mentions that his: “Allison Owens (now Allison Werner) is still in Hong Kong and in her late eighties.” (I tried replying, but suspect that my reply fell foul of a spam filter. Hint: most spam comes from the States. Don’t blame Hong Kong).
2 Walked from Park View, over Jardine’s Lookout, over Mount Butler, and down Mount Parker Road to Quarry Bay, as a reconnaissance for a walk I’m doing later in the month for the Hong Kong Club. I had a torch with me and was determined to explore the big Japanese tunnel the entrance of which is to be found just to the west of the col between Jardine’s Lookout and Mount Butler. However, after seeing that the entrance is only about 40 centimetres high, I suddenly remembered that I had an urgent appointment elsewhere… 2 A representative of King's School Canterbury got in touch, enquiring as to the death of Old Boy Peter Norman Witney, Royal Army Medical Corps Killed in action on the 25th of December 1941 aged 28. He was, of course, killed at St Stephen’s: “He was born on the 31st of March 1913 the son of Dr Ernest William Witney JP and Lottie May Witney of Whitstable in Kent. He was educated at Junior King’s School Canterbury from 1921 to 1922 and after he completed his education he studied medicine gaining a BA (Cantab) LRCP (Lond) and MRCS (Eng).”
1 Started the New Year with a walk from Wong Nai Chung Reservoir, round the bottom of Violet Hill, and down the steep path to the east end of Repulse Bay, then back along the shore to Deep Water Bay. Didn’t find much – except for a sighting of two large mammals rooting around in the dark undergrowth on Violet Hill. What were they? Looked very like badgers (not ferret badgers, which are tiny), at about 150cm from nose to tail. Between Repulse Bay and Deepwater Bay, I found the Lyon Light of PB16, which I had never noticed before. 1 Tan wrote in, with a photo of some shelters he had found at Luk Hop Village. Clearly there are a great deal of pre-war constructions in the New Territories that I am unaware of. 1 Daniel Street’s (Middlesex) niece got in touch.
Image:
December Images
Michael Stewart at PB1 (Author), Harry Hitchins & friends (courtesy Geoff Glover), SOE Ladies (courtesy Max Holroyd) PB2 (Author), Pollock Family (courtesy Mike Chapman), Saiwan Memorial Service (courtesy Mark Banham) William Clarke & friends (courtesy Clint Clarke), Stanley Fort accommodation block (author), Harry Hitchins letter (courtesy Geoff Glover)
December News So 2008 comes to an end, and I need to choose which of my current book projects to focus on for 2009/2010. Most probably it will be the ‘irregulars’ – those who escaped and evaded, and fought on in one way or another after Hong Kong’s surrender. But I am also tempted by the story of Hong Kong’s civilian evacuees, which I worked on for several months in the middle of the year. I’ll have a drink or two on New Year’s Day and make up my mind…
29 Returned from a few days in the UK over Christmas to find that the Corrigan book had arrived. At first glance, "A Hong Kong Diary Revisited - The Family Remembers" looks very interesting, consisting mainly of Corrigan’s original diary plus some annotations and comments from the family.
20 Received an email greeting from Ross Lynneberg (RNZNVR, Lisbon Maru), entitled ‘Why Men Don’t Design Christmas Wrapping paper’… Other ex-POWs, sending rather more conventional seasonal greetings, included Gordon Fairclough, Jack Etiemble, Maynard Skinner, Taffy Evans, and Major Hancock. 20 On the Stanley Group, Leslie William Robert Macey’s daughter posted a message noting that her father was one of those who worked outside Camp for Selwyn-Clarke. Rightly, she complains that these men and women have never been officially recognized. I will be covering this group in my work on the Hong Kong irregulars, but it is uphill work as little seems to have been documented. 20 Bevan Field’s (HKVDC) niece got in touch.
18 Today I was invited to attend the opening of the St Stephen’s School Heritage Trail. Brilliant! Sometimes I feel I am banging my head on a brick wall, trying to get Hong Kong to recognize the depth of our heritage, and sometimes I stand in awe of people who do it so much better than me (facilitating the recognition, I mean, not the banging). This was definitely the latter, and yet again Carrie Lam – Secretary for Development – made time in her busy schedule to be there and officially open the trail (illustrated). 18 Henry (Harry) Ronald Hitchins’ (Middlesex) family got in touch. Hitchins’ body was never identified after the battle, though I believe he was killed at Morrison Hill. The family included a photo of Harry and his friends (Harry is first from left in the seated row), and would be interested in learning the identities of the others in the picture. They also included some letters illustrating the family’s attempts to learn more about Harry’s death over the years. 18 William Clarke’s (Winnipeg Grenadiers) son got in contact and sent an interesting photo taken at Shamshuipo just after liberation (Clarke is far right, second row from bottom).
17 Timeout Hong Kong ran a short article on the Wong Nai Chung Gap battle today, and China Daily followed up with their second article: http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/hkedition/2008-12/17/content_7312131.htm 17 I heard today the sad news that George Geordie Gauld of the Lisbon Maru had passed away on the 15th. 17 Charles Rignall, a long-time friend of the Ostroumoff family, let me know that Andrew Ostroumoff (HKVDC) passed away yesterday. Ostroumoff managed the Repulse Bay Hotel from the 60s until it was closed. 17 William Young’s (RN) grandson got in touch.
16 Today I spoke to the Canadian Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong, repeating the material from Macau earlier in the month. I wonder how many of the attendees realised that one of their number had been born in Stanley Internment Camp? 16 China Daily ran the first of a two-part article on my research today. Apologies for the photo (guess who is in trouble with his mother…): http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/hkedition/2008-12/16/content_7307705.htm
14 TK pointed me at this interesting article by Lawrence Lai on the Gin Drinkers Line: http://www.britarch.ac.uk/ba/ba101/feat5.shtml 14 Today I visited Stanley Fort for the first time. They were open (though with very restricted access) for a charity football match. By walking from the gate to the field, I managed to get a few photographs of the old buildings, but unfortunately guards and roadblocks prevented access to the majority.
9 Douglas Clague’s (RA, BAAG) son-in-law got in touch. He is looking for information about Eldon Potter, who used to live at Potter’s House in Fanling.
8 China Daily (thanks to Zhao Xu) today published a story about Barbara Anslow’s return to Stanley: http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/opinion/2008-12/08/content_7284798.htm . It’s a good article, though perfectionists should note that Barbara was not ‘hiding’ in the air-raid tunnels, she was working there. 8 Irvin Allen’s (Royal Rifles) son got in touch.
7 At the annual Canadian Memorial Service in Saiwan today, I was asked to say a few off-script words. Difficult to know what to cover at an event like that, especially among other speakers, so I chose the theme that a cemetery is only a snapshot of the suffering of war. I tried to describe how war reaches back a generation – to the parents of those involved (and perhaps their grandparents), and forward a generation to their children (and perhaps their grandchildren). It’s something that I have been looking at in some detail recently. Hard to judge how well it went, but three people afterwards told me that they had been in tears; perhaps that was the review I was searching for. Afterwards I was interviewed by RTHK for some future broadcast. 7 Charles & Robert Richards (Royal Scots, Lisbon Maru) family got in touch. They note: “I'm researching my family history on my mother's side. A 3rd cousin in Scotland also did the family tree. In his research, he found that my mother's cousins, Robert William Richards and Charles Edward Richards (aka Charles Edward Wilson), died on the Lisbon Maru as POWs. Charles had given a false surname so that he could be in the same unit as his brother, Robert.” Charles Richards is currently listed as Charles Wilson on this site.
6 Gerald Harrison’s (RAMC) distant cousin got in touch. He notes: “Gerald Fairland Harrison was the son of Lawrence Whitaker Harrison, a distinguished Army Doctor in WW1, who became a Prof at St. Thomas’s in London. My mother was the daughter of another Army doctor William Sandilands Harrison who was Lawrence’s elder brother. After his service in India, WSH became a Prof in Tropical Medicine at the RAMC school at Millbank. Sadly he succumbed to one of the diseases he was researching, and died very young in 1915, when my mother was very young. Thus the two halves of the family rather drifted apart, and your information may help me to trace what became of my more remote cousins.” 6 Visited Wong Nai Chung Gap with Michael Stewart, the son of Evan Stewart who commanded 3 Coy HKVDC there during the war. Geoff Emerson and a number of others arrived with Michael, and we spent a very interesting few hours walking along the trail. Michael also reminded us that his father’s wartime diary is at the PRO in Kowloon Tong.
5 Max Holroyd sent me yet more fascinating pictures relating to his parents. He notes: “[The second picture] was taken in Chunking in Feb/March 1942 after my mother’s escape from Singapore and the three ladies were all SOE—My mother the middle one was amongst the first 20 to join this organization, where she was initially in the French section, having been recruited by George Caultauld and Harry Tennyson (subsequently ennobled as Lord Tennyson—I don’t know for sure but I think George also was ennobled.) I met his son also called George who was a QM and took my mother to the special Forces Club behind Harrods in the 90’s to meet hopefully some of her old comrades.---If you wish to check this out my mothers maiden name was Mann and her cousin was ‘Jacky’ Man the BoB pilot who was subsequently held a hostage in the Lebanon in the 1980’s along with Terry Waite etc.”
4 Gerry Tuppert notes that another Canadian POW Index Card can be found here: http://www.vac-acc.gc.ca/remembers/sub.cfm?source=collections/virtualmem/photos&casualty=2207609. (See Biography page 16). The implication, of course, is that all Canadian POWs had cards. 4 My wife and I were invited to Macau, for me to speak to the Canadian Chamber of Commerce there about Canada’s role in wartime Hong Kong. The turnout was quite good, and I donated a couple of books to be raffled to raise money for the Ottawa memorial to C Force (www.hkvca.ca).
2 Victor Baukham’s (HKRNVR) son got in touch. 2 I was copied on an interesting email that said: “I have recently received in my possession a book/diary that was kept by the prisoners during their years of captivity at the above POW Camp. I think the book belonged to a chap by the name of "F W (Dingy) Bell" of the R.A.S.C- EFI, Number 2499. Also prominent in the book is a "Capt T E Wood" R.A.S.C. There are many drawings, poems, and little notes etc in the book, and records of the Plays and Pantomimes that were put on to keep the camp entertained. If you have any interest in the book please contact [me]. My brother has had the book in his possession since about 1958, he tells me that he found the book amongst a pile of rubbish left outside a house in Goole, East Yorkshire that had been vacated by the occupants.” That's WOII Fred Walter Bell and Captain Thomas Edward 'Chippy' Wood. Unfortunately the email I sent in reply was not answered.
1 The grandson of Joshua Pollock, MBE, RN (who was in charge of the first hold in the Lisbon Maru) was kind enough to send me some new photographs. He notes how his grandfather rose from: “Ordinary Seaman to Lt.Cmdr and saw service in both world wars. My mother Jessie is the one standing in the family photo with her sister Barbara seated. They were both born in Plymouth as was my Grandmother Jess. The family were evacuated from HK prior to the Japanese attack to the Philippines and then to Sydney.” He also notes that Pollock is the stocky & determined looking fellow next to the chap who is almost hidden by Roosevelt’s hand in the photo of Lisbon Maru survivors coming ashore at Moji. 1 Murray Goodenough’s (Royal Rifles) cousin got in touch. She notes: “Family lore had it that Murray Goodenough had written a diary and parts of it were published in a magazine. I have never been able to locate any article written by or about him so I'm not sure where that info came from.”
Image:
November Images
C Force Memorial (courteyy HKVCA), The Edgar Wedding (courtesy Brian Edgar), F.A. Redmond's Pass (courtesy Robin Newport) Tad Hosoi & Teiji Itoi (author), Thracian returning to RN use (courtesy Bill Gill), William Tuppert's Index Card (courtesy Gerry Tuppert) George Urquhart with Bren Carriers at Kai Tak, in 1940, and in 2008 (all courtesy Brian Urquhart)
November News
Looks like December will be a busy month, as it was last year. This year we have two Canadian Chamber of Commerce fund-raising events for the C Force Memorial Wall (www.hkvca.ca), the usual Sai Wan service on Sunday December 7, and the opening of the St Stephen’s Heritage Trail. On top of that, it’s the busiest month for visitors here, and I have at least three business trips. Roll on the New Year!
28 At Kowloon Cricket Club today for a sports day (a fine building, by the way, dating from 1931) and took a moment to look at Gun Club Hill Barracks next door. It’s still there, but in use by the PLA. I should ask for permission and then try a proper visit.
25 Lieutenant Corrigan’s (Winnipeg Grenadiers) four daughters today published his annotated diaries entitled: A Hong Kong Diary Revisited- The Family Remembers. My copy is on order already! www.hkvca.ca 25 Another Hong Kong wartime story from the China Daily: http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/hkedition/2008-11/25/content_7235739.htm
24 I received yet more valuable information, from Rosemary Inglis, about the 1940 evacuation of civilians from Hong Kong. It’s becoming clear that there are thousands of stories of these people, and their contribution to post-war Australian society, and I would be grateful for more. Rosemary also include a pointer to a superb film of Hong Kong in 1938: http://hk.youtube.com/watch?v=hIHTrmz4hTI 24 Interviewed today by Time Out Hong Kong Magazine who are running a story on the battle for Wong Nai Chung Gap. Nice to be interviewed (again) by someone who has bothered to do their homework!
21 Today I received the final paginated version of We Shall Suffer There for indexing. I had forgotten what a slow business indexing is. The first ten pages took an hour… 21 At lunchtime, I met Tad Hosoi and Teiji Itoi in Hong Kong Park. These two Japanese-born Canadians happen to originate from the Oeyama village where the POW Camp of the same name was located. They are doing their best to document the camp (interviewing older residents and so forth – Teiji Itoi himself recalls seeing the POWs turn up every morning for work in a steam train), and are also engaged in translating one of the better British HK POW books into Japanese. This is a very worthy project, and I was very impressed with these two gentlemen – and grateful that they were doing their best to make this period in history better known. 21 Here’s a very unusual and important story, thanks to Ron Taylor in the UK: http://www.stourbridgenews.co.uk/news/3860917.Ex_PoW_wins_fight_for_compensation/. The story concerns Mohammed Gulzar, a gunner in the Hong Kong and Singapore Royal Artillery in his teens, who was a prisoner of war in Hong Kong. This has led to a very interesting correspondence with Mandeep Singh Bajwa who may have access to useful records on the INA’s recruitment attempts amongst the Indian POWs.
20 I heard today that Nancy Strahl was one of six Canadian teachers who received the Governor General's Award for Excellence in Teaching Canadian History. Placing emphasis on student achievement by connecting students with their local and global Canadian wartime history, her Students created time capsules for the 60th anniversary of Juno Beach and the Battle of Hong Kong with both projects became published books: Passing the Torch: Our Youth Remembers Juno Beach and Passing the Torch: Our Youth Remembers Hong Kong.
19 Today I heard that The International History Review had published a review of The Sinking of the Lisbon Maru. It’s a nice review, but unfortunately I haven’t found a version online yet. 19 The family are looking for details on an American doctor, Frank J. Molthen, who was released from Stanley Camp August 4, 1942 back to Hong Kong. Does anyone know anything about his? He is mentioned in the Maryknoll records.
18 Gerry Tuppert sent a fascinating document – the first Canadian POW Index Card known to modern researchers (or at least to me!) The implication is that Canadian archives have a full set.
17 John Black notes: "As a final exercise in its 14 year history, ABCIFER is preparing a memorial book to record the names of the 20,000 plus British civilians who were imprisoned by the Japanese during the Second World War. The pages will be on parchment-type paper, the cover fully bound in purple leather...with 100 names on each page – each page measuring 15 inches deep by 11 inches wide. The format of each entry will be Surname, Christian Name (s) and Camp...For women the name printed will be their maiden name unless they were married at the time of entering the camp. The main copy will be permanently on display in a display cabinet in St. Michael's, Cornhill, the famous Wren church in the City of London. Other copies will be deposited at the Imperial War Museum library, the British Library and the National Archive at Kew. There will be a commemoration service at St. Michael's as early as possible in 2009." 17 Tom and Lena Edgar’s (civilian internees) son got in touch through the Stanley Camp group on Yahoo. He posted this fascinating link, which includes the above photo of his parents getting married after the surrender, but before they were interned at Stanley. It would be nice to identify the other guests: http://www.new.facebook.com/album.php?aid=10608&l=c5d81&id=727541399
16 Jack Roland Cook’s (RASC) family got in touch.
14 Major F.A. Redmond’s (HKVDC) great nephew got in touch. 14 George Breese’s (Royal Marines, Lisbon Maru) grandson got in touch.
13 Today I had lunch with the new Canadian Consul General, Doreen Steidle, and Consul Alain Tellier. I thought Gerry and Patrice (their predecessors) were keen on remembering Canada’s involvement in wartime Hong Kong, but if anything the new generation are keener. Clearly these two are a force to be reckoned with (and, by the way, I discovered that Dot Cod does the best fish and chips I’ve had in Hong Kong these 20 years).
12 Ralph Chalmers’ (Royal Rifles of Canada) niece got in touch. Her uncle is officially listed, among eleven other Royal Rifles, as losing his life on Dec 26 1941. When I investigated these deaths for my first book, I concluded that: "The date of death of December 26th seems unlikely for all twelve men. This appears to be an attempt to account for certain individuals who went missing at some point and were not recorded at the time. It is also possible that up to five of these men were victims of the St. Stephen’s massacre." The internal documentation at the CWGC stated that Mr Chalmers was last seen at Wong Nai Chung Gap. If that was true, it would imply that he was involved in one of the counter-attacks there, almost certainly that of Dec 21. In the confusion of the time, it is possible that he was lost then, but the fact that he was missing wasn't noted until the 26th. My guess would be that this is the most likely explanation. His body was never formally identified post-war, though a large number of unidentified remains were recovered in the area in 1946-47 and are today properly honoured in the military cemeteries. Can anyone supply any further details from a diary or letter of the time?
11 Well, I would have said this was impossible. George Urquhart’s (Royal Scots, Lisbon Maru) son got in touch to say that his father, and his father’s friend from the same Regiment – Fred Keel – were alive and well in Inverness. George is 93. Regular readers of this site might recall that this is the first occasion I discovered two survivors of the Lisbon Maru at the same time since December 2005.The chance of it happening again are pretty slim. 11 Today, the first of three articles in the China Daily was published: http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/hkedition/2008-11/11/content_7191221.htm
9 Henry Bazinet’s (Winnipeg Grenadiers) great nephew got in touch. After a few late nights I finally recalled where I had seen his great uncle’s death described, and was able to pass that information to the family. 9 Watching the Remembrance Parade today, ex-Royal Scot and Lisbon Maru survivor said to himself “I thought to myself, Morley at 89 you are a Lucky, Lucky Bastard to be alive today” (and long may I continue to receive emails like that!) 9 Robert Pearce’s (Middlesex) grandson got in touch. 9 While not strictly on the subject of Hong Kong, as a frequent visitor to San Francisco I found this fascinating: http://www.far-eastern-heroes.org.uk/Alistair_Urquhart/html/visit_to_pampanito.htm
7 George Sokalski’s (Winnipeg Grenadiers) great granddaughter got in touch. 7 A local newspaper published a nice story about Lisbon Maru survivor James Wilson today: http://www.deesidepiper.co.uk/news/Deeside-WW2-veteran-recalls-sinking.4672351.jp 7 Barbara Anslow, on her visit last month to Hong Kong, notes: “Incredibly, the Prison Warders' Quarters, where I was billeted with my Mum and sisters, are still there and exactly the same, although the slender trees around them in 1942-5 are now great tough trees. Our room faced the courtyard of the 'Married Quarters'; now this courtyard is restored to its original purpose of providing clothes lines for the washing, but during our tenure this was where we 600-odd residents queued for our meals, which were served out in the open, the great pans of rice and stew being carried there from the make-shift kitchen in pre-war garages opposite the adjacent 'American Block.' Such memories! Once when I was near the end of the queue on a day when baked fish (a piece about 2 inches by 2 inches and perhaps half an inch thick each) was being served, I had the last piece, and the man behind me was furious as well as disappointed. 'The Japs sent fish in for all of us,' he shouted, 'Where's my piece??' All he could be offered was an extra ladle of fish soup, poor thing. Of course, it was a thankless job for the kitchen workers to work everything out exactly.” Interestingly, the Married Quarters had block numbers from 2 to 5. There never seems to have been a block one, or blocks six and seven. 7 Heard today the sad news that Maureen Donald (niece of Patrick Coleman, who was lost on the Lisbon Maru) had passed away after a three-year battle with cancer. She visited us in Hong Kong a few years ago, and my wife presented her with a wooden elephant (a genuine BUFE…) that had particularly taken her fancy.
6 Geoff Emerson was kind enough to alert me to the fact that on Dec 13, Stanley Fort will be open to the public for the annual five-a-side football contest.
4 Dave Deptford notes: “In the Spink Medal catalogue for their 20.11.2008 sale (Lot 77) appears a group of 10 medals to Lt Frederick William Mitchell R.N. comprising MBE, WW1 trio, 39-45 star, Pacific Star, War & Defence, 1911 Delhi Durbar and 1935 Jubilee. He is noted as being on Boom Defence duties at the time of the invasion, held POW and retired as Lt Cdr. Estimate GBP250 - 350, which appears to me to be low.”
3 On the subject of War Pensions, Dr Mark Erooga says: “[My friend] had done a lot of research in the Archives at Kew and discovered that legislation had been passed which made male Government Servants automatically members of an Auxiliary Corps of the Civil Defence Corps related to their Department. In my case I was, in fact, member of the Medical Auxiliary Corps, although I was not informed.” 3 John Black reminds me that the point of our exchange about the Day Joyce Sheet was the new article on Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Day_Joyce_Sheet
2 I have been watching an exchange between Rob Weir and the Batgung boys with great interest. Here’s Rob on the subject of Lyon Lights: “A self contained (Lister petrol engine with generator) small searchlight (about 20 -24 inch diameter) which was an integral part of the beach defences. The combination of Pillbox and Lyon Light were referred to officially as a Beach Defence Unit. The light was installed in its own concrete shelter, usually no more than 30 - 50 yards to the side and behind the PB. If possible, it was elevated above the PB either by the terrain (e.g. PB 30), or by a tall concrete base (e.g. the one behind PB 16). Exceptions are known; if you look at the photo of the ruined PB at Braemar Point (between pages 140 and 141 in Not The Slightest Chance), you will see the LL shelter was actually on the roof of the PB. How many were like this I don't know. The only remaining example is PB 33a on the SW coast of the D'Aguilar Peninsular. Some of the PBs along the north coast didn't have space for dedicated shelters, but where necessary the LL's were installed in adjacent buildings. PB 59 at the Navy Yard was an odd-ball having two LL's back to back on its roof. No other known examples. The shelter was a small concrete structure with a curved, open front, allowing the light to be used. Outward opening steel shutters, hinged at the bottom, could be closed to protect the light when it was not in use. Immediately behind the shutters, on a concrete block, sat the light itself. Above, was a small square hole in the roof, which, through a rooftop duct to a vertical airshaft at the back, created air circulation to the light, which generated a lot of heat in operation. The power unit sat on concrete shelves at the back, with a hole through the wall for the exhaust fumes. The light was served by two men from the PB crew, and shelters had provision for two stretcher type beds on the back wall. The entry was a normal doorway, with a steel door. Some units had a protective wall between the PB and LL (e.g. PB 30). In the world of digital electronics, it is difficult to believe that communication between the PB and LL Shelter occupants was by a speaking tube. This looked for all the world like a length of 3" dia. water pipe running between the two, and some remains can still be seen. Operation of the light was controlled by the PB commander, either by voice, or a predetermined number of whistle blasts.” 2 Joseph Hugh Benson’s (Royal Navy, Lisbon Maru) nephew got in touch. 2 A gentleman by the name of Bill Gill got in touch. He is writing some articles: “The subjects are HMS Thracian, covering both its service in Hong Kong and later as PB-101 in the Imperial Japanese Navy… My interest in these items was originally piqued by a photo I found showing the white ensign being raised on Thracian for the first time in four years.” 2 Don Gasper is interested in the author of "The banknote that never was", Francis (Ferenc) Braun, a Hungarian who was living in Hong Kong. He is trying to find out when he died.
Image:
October Images Charles Liddon Cole, Commander of 3 Bty. HKVDC (courtesy Ruth Crouch), The Day Joyce Sheet (courtesy John Black), Barbara Anslow and family under her upper story window in Block 2 (author) Mortar fin? (author), MTB escape re-enactment team (author), APV Perla (courtesy Kerry Norrie) The City Hall Shrine after the HK Government remembrance ceremony (author), Royal Rifles back in Vancouver (courtesy Gerry Tuppert), Yokohama cemetery, grave of Thomas J. McConnell (courtesy Odhran McConnell)
October News
This month marks the fifth anniversary of the Hong Kong War Diary monthly blog. On October 31, 2003 I penned the first monthly article (all 901 words of it); now, the accumulated articles would fill a medium sized paperback.
I have taken this anniversary as a catalyst to change the basic layout of the site. It is averaging 5,000 visitors a month at the moment, and I believe most come for the monthly updates. I have therefore moved the books to the side panel, and will gather relevant unpublished material of the same themes into those book pages. Bear with me as this evolves.
The ‘Search Garrison’ page has also had some links corrected, and the bibliography has been completely revamped and annotated. I would be grateful to anyone who can suggest any other volumes to add.
29 Today I received the galley proofs of We Shall Suffer There. I will turn them around by the end of the month. Getting there! 29 Bruce Hoy Poy’s (HKVDC) great nephew got in touch. He notes that Bruce (ex 5AA Bty.) celebrates his 93rd birthday on November 5th! 29 I reported a month or two ago on the Harrison Forman collection. The Batgung boys have made it easier to access via their admirable site: http://www.batgung.com/harrison-forman-hong-kong-collection
27 Alva Brown’s (HKVDC) sons got in touch. 27 I have been in touch with Donald Ady, an American who was interned in Stanley from January 42 until repatriation in June. This contact was via Michael Martin’s valuable Stanley_Camp group on Yahoo.
26 Finally we managed to conduct the Hong Kong Club walk around Stanley, after postponing it twice. A nice crowd of around 15 people and two dogs, in unusually warm weather. This is the third year in a row that we’ve done three walks in succession (Gin Drinkers Line, Wong Nai Chung Gap, Stanley), so next year we will add some variety. 26 Ron Rakusen is asking which were the final eastbound (US) and westbound (Singapore) passenger ships leaving Hong Kong? I have sent him the few I know for December 1941, but I am sure there are others.
25 Gerry Tuppert (son of William Tuppert, Royal Rifles of Canada) sent a fantastic range of high-quality photos – many of which I had not seen before. The names of those in the ‘Arriving in Vancouver’ photo are: Front row L to R: Sgt R.C. Stager of Ayr, Ont.; Pte H.L. Berry, Toronto; S/Sgt. C.A. Clark, Toronto; Sgt Rene Charron, Montreal; Sgt T.G. Marsh, St Vital, Man.; and Pte F.C. Petch, Meadow Lake, Sask. Second row: Pte J.E. Cameron, Expanse, Sask.; Pte A.J. Hamelin, Hodgson, Man.; Pte Arthur Lyons, Winnipeg; Pte M.D. Noel, Portage La Prairie, Man.; and Pte Joseph Pudlo, Hayfield, Man. Third row: Cpl W.G.J. Tuppert, Quebec City; Pte Fred A. Mack, Winnipeg; Cpl F.E. Stebre, Beausejour, Man.; Pte J.P. Clark, Winnipeg, Man.; and Cpl T.W. Dwyer of Port Arthur, Ont. Top row: Pte Emile Van Raes, of St Boniface, Man.; Pte J. Zohara of Molson, Man.; Pte W.J. Saunders of Chester, N.S.; Cpl Stanley Edgar of Winnipeg. I have to say that Mr ‘Stebre’ looks very much like a Mr Stebbe who I met when he visited Hong Kong a few years ago! 25 Took our two boys to football practice at KGV today. It’s the first time I have looked around the building properly. Built in 1937, it seems to have been closed in July 1940 after the majority of children were evacuated. It then became the British Military Hospital after Bowen Road Hospital closed in April 1945. But I have never found good documentation of what happened in between – although I have read that the Japanese used the building as a hospital too. One of the houses today is named after Douglas Crozier, commander of the wartime 2 Bty HKVDC. I noticed that the first head boy listed on the board inside was a certain “I.C. McNay”. Ian (a long time correspondent, and a great and generous helper to my amateur researches) confirmed that it was he, and noted: “In my time Gordon Ferguson was the Headmaster, Ken Atwell was English, David McLellan Science, the legendary Colin McEwan Physical Education, he taught us to box. Douglas Crozier French, George Wilby Science, Norman Tucker History, Geoffrey Coxhead Geography. All these men were in the Education Department pre war and were ex POW; their names are in your Garrison list; some went to Japan. Wilfred Mulcahy, the Deputy Headmaster, was interned in Stanley.”
22 Kerry Norrie send two more photos of shipping. One shows a steam tug (?) called ‘Berta’, which I have not seen before, and the other shows the sterns of three of Hong Kong’s famous MTBs – unfortunately at too great a distance to make out which they are. 22 The following website, www.aberdeenmedals.com has a fascinating array of wartime Hong Kong medals for sale. On the home page select 'on-line shop' at the end of black menu bar, and then do a word search for 'Hong Kong' and three pages of information should be returned.
20 Through the kindness of Rosemary Inglis, I am now in touch with quite a few more Hong Kong evacuees – many of whom were on the Zealandia. It all helps me get a clearer picture, and to understand that as time went on, what started as a simple forced migration from Hong Kong to Australia ended up as something far more complex. Many families moved on, back to Hong Kong or Shanghai, India or Singapore. It will take a while to find a representative example of each, while still fleshing out the common story.
16 A real red letter day today. Barbara Anslow and family arrived in force two days ago, and today we met them at Stanley Jail (together with Geoff Emerson – author of Hong Kong Internment, 1942-1945, who kindly helped arrange the day, plus Mr Chan from the Prisons Dept., who could not have been more helpful). We toured the grounds of the prison, with a special photo stop outside Block 2 of the Married Quarters, where Barbara (nee Redwood) had been an internee from January 42 to September 45. Barbara’s writings, and her mother’s, are well-known to all Hong Kong researchers. Foolishly I had imagined that Barbara relied on those writings when answering my interminable emailed questions, but the reality is that she has a memory like the proverbial pachyderm. After a very pleasant lunch at Murray House (thanks to George Cautherley, another of the party, who happened to have been born in the camp), we adjourned to the cemetery. There, Barbara gave the company a guided tour. As an administrator at the Tweed Bay hospital, she had recorded the causes of deaths of those who perished in the camp; at each grave stone she paused and said a few words. From the cemetery we moved to St Stephen’s school; the library had been set up as a lecture hall. Sitting at the front, faced by two video cameras and fifty or more very alert school children, Barbara spoke and answered questions until the Principal (who has a deep and admirable interest in preserving Hong Kong’s heritage) brought the proceedings to an end. My wife and I went home exhausted; Barbara, apparently, simply continued to her next appointment… 16 Kerry Norrie kindly sent me a photo of APV Perla. This is one of the smaller HKRNVR vessels that I never thought I’d see a photo of! 16 Reginald Cotton’s (Middlesex, Lisbon Maru) son got in touch. 16 Odhran McConnell has reported back on a visit to Yokohama to see the grave of his great uncle Lieutenant Thomas J. McConnell. He notes; “One of Tom's comrades was a chap named Humphries, who survived the camp. After the war, his wife sent a letter to Tom's wife, Blanche, describing what her husband told her happened during their time at the camp. He said that Tom was ordered by the Japanese to read out a statement to his men urging them to cooperate with the Japanese (they were in a forced labour camp - a mine). Tom refused to do that and he was beaten unconscious. Humphries, who was the second in command was ordered to do the same thing and he also refused and was also beaten unconscious. When Humphries regained consciousness he was told that Tom was dead. He had no idea what happened in the mean time. He speculates that Tom could have been executed, or possibly never recovered from the beating. Naturally, the term 'heart failure' was used for all sorts of deaths...” 16 While not of direct relevance to the Second World War, Stephen Sin’s latest blogs show the remains of two post-war camps, Cloudy Hill, Fanling: http://hk.myblog.yahoo.com/hkoutlander/article?mid=13540 and Gordon Hard on Castle Peak Rd, Tuen Mun: http://hk.myblog.yahoo.com/hkoutlander/article?mid=18443
13 A strange object has turned up in the Wong Nai Chung Gap area. This looks very much like a mortar fin. It is similar to the British 2-inch mortar, though it seems to have two holes for the propellant gases rather than three. It’s also a little bit smaller, being perhaps 4-5cm in length. Can anyone identify it?
10 Chris Davis of the Bold Venture project notes that the link to their website posted last month does not work. Try this: http://www.boldventureb25.com 10 Natalie Cadenhead, Curator of Antarctic and Canterbury Social History, Canterbury Museum, emailed asking if anyone had details of Sapper Arthur Henry ‘John’ MacKney (Royals Scots, Lisbon Maru) who stayed on in New Zealand after convalescence. 10 Francis John Morgan’s (Winnipeg Grenadiers) daughter got I touch. I had no reply from her to my answer to her questions so, Francis, check your email spam settings!
9 John Black emailed the Stanley Camp Yahoo group (established by Michael Martin), about the Day Joyce sheet. He notes: “It was created in Stanley: a double bed sheet embroidered and appliquéd with 1100 names, signs and figures and includes two years of camp diaries in code. It was successfully hidden during numerous searches of the camp and brought back to England at the end of the war. The needle Mrs. Joyce was using is still lodged in the sheet at the place where she broke off when the camp was liberated in 1945.”
8 Ruth Crouch today sent me a photo of her father Charles Cole in HKVDC uniform, and of Charles and his brother Anthony in mufti. 8 Mike Butterworth was kind enough to send me a set of photographs of his Royal Scots father, from childhood until shortly before he passed away.
7 Today, for the second time, this site was responsible for putting a brother and sister back in touch fifty or more years since they last saw each other. There’s a story there, of course, but it isn’t ours. All we can do is wish them well. 7 I have a very minor, and hopefully unsung, role, as an arbitrator in the Hong Kong Government’s War Pensions Appeal Board. On that basis, I was invited to today’s official memorial service at the shrine at Central. Perhaps two hundred people were present, and Donald Tsang was there from start to finish. It was a simple ceremony, but very appropriate; I was glad to be there. In the afternoon, my brats and I spent an hour or two on Hong Kong’s battlefields in the very pleasant company of a photographer from the China Daily - a publication intending to write a few articles about my research. 7 I heard today that Harold Burbidge, survivor of the Lisbon Maru, had passed away about three months ago. It’s a great shame that we were unable to interview him in time.
6 John Black noted that he and his family were evacuated on the MV Neptune (or Neptuna) from Hong Kong to Sydney, in October 1940. Was anyone else on that voyage?
4 Donald Hill MBE’s (RAF) son got in touch.
3 Several people were kind enough to alert me to the publication of obituaries to Tim Fortescue. Officially Trevor Victor Norman, he came to Hong Kong with the Colonial Service shortly before the Japanese attack, and was interned in Stanley with his wife and small son in the room next door to Barbara Anslow’s. Years later he was MP for Liverpool Garston. http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2008/oct/01/conservatives 3 Barbara Anslow was kind enough to send me a letter from Pat Tring, concerning the latter’s experiences in the evacuation of civilians from Hon Kong in 1940. 3 Around ten years ago, when I started to investigate the web as a way to pursue my interests in Hong Kong history, I came across a website created by a certain Richard Hide; today I finally met him. A great guy (naturally), as were the others who gathered this evening at the Aberdeen Marina Club to discuss the Christmas 2009 plans to recreate Chan Chak (and pals’) MTB escape from the Colony. Richard has added photos of his visit to: http://www.mwadui.com/HongKong/HK_2008.htm
1 A holiday in Hong Kong today (National Day), so we walked up The Peak and then around it before returning to the Galleria for lunch. For visitors to Hong Kong, I can’t recommend this highly enough if you are here on a clear day. The views are spectacular, but also broad enough to give bearings for any study of the territory.
Image:
September Images Camp John Hay (courtesy Chris Anderson), Paul Tsui OBE (courtesy Lawrence Tsui), Gow POW reunion (courtesy Dr Iain Gow) Gauge Basin (author), Molly Yip's Rosary Hill pass (courtesy Elizabeth Lai), PB57 in Causeway Bay (Harrison Forman Collection) A platoon of 2 Royal Scots (courtesy Dr Iain Gow), Argyle St. Camp (Ken Sawyer, via Tad Hosoi), Shelter in Tai Tam (author)
September News
Well, Hong Kong War Diary’s first ever competition was not exactly an unqualified success – with precisely no entries – which (bearing in mind that quite a number of highly-knowledgeable people visit this site monthly) makes me think that few are as pedantic as I about these matters. But for anyone interested, my eight main issues with said video nasty were:
- Location 1: This appears to be a house, rather than the Splinter-proof Shelter which Lawson was actually in.
- Location 2: Lawson’s position was West Brigade HQ, and included plenty of non-Canadians. It was a command position, rather than a fighting one.
- Context 1: On the phone, Lawson says: “They never sent us any jeeps, let alone artillery”. Firstly, the jeep was not generally known-of in 1941. Production stepped up only after America’s entry into the war – and when Canada then decided to order 1,500 of them they found all production had been allocated to the US and British army (see: The WWII Jeep in Canadian Service by Eric Booth). C Force’s vehicles had been sent to Manila but would not have included jeeps. Secondly, C Force was infantry rather than artillery, so of course they would not have been sent artillery – though there were plenty of Royal Artillery heavy guns near Lawson’s position.
- Location 3: Lawson shouts to Osborn for cover, though Osborn was actually about a mile away (as the crow flies) heading up Jardine’s Lookout towards Mount Butler at the time.
- Context 2: Osborn replies, but with a strange accent (I admit I never heard his accent, but as he was born a few miles away from me in Norfolk and only emigrated to Canada after service in the RND in WWI I am sure his accent would have held at least a trace of his ancestry!)
- Location 4/ Context 3: A man shouts that Lawson is down ‘and so’s Hennessey’, although Hennessey was actually mortally wounded 24 hours later and several miles away at Number 8, The Peak.
- Chronology 1: Only one grenade is thrown, and Osborn dies then and there instead of some five hours later (Lawson killed around 10.30 a.m. in Wong Nai Chung Gap, Osborn probably around 15.30 on the southern slopes of Jardine’s Lookout).
- Chronology 2: The narrator states that these were “the first Canadians to see combat in the Second World War”. However, Canadians in the RCAF and RCN had been in combat since the start of the war - the RCN in particular having done more than their fair share of the fighting in the Atlantic.
30 Jack Coyle’s (Royal Scots, Lisbon Maru) son got in touch.
28 I have finally completed the first draft of a list of civilian evacuees from Hong Kong to Australia in mid-1940. I have 2,967 names on the list, from about 3,300 who arrived in Australia (the number who left HK was greater, as some managed to return before the invasion). Now I’m searching for missing information, such as the passengers on the Zealandia.
27 Charles Cole’s (HKVDC) and Anthony Cole’s (Stanley internee) great niece got in touch.
26 Stephen Saxby’s (Royal Engineers, Lisbon Maru) grandson got in touch. Has anyone heard of groups called ‘Specials’ who had a sort of sabotage/counter-intelligence role in the Far East before the Japanese attack?
25 I received a letter from a descendant of Edward David Brasil (known as Sapper E. Brasilevsky, HKVDC, during the war). Does anyone know anything of his background? Solly Bard notes that Brasilevsky was from Harbin.
20 Robert Archibald’s (Royal Scots, Lisbon Maru) great nephew got in touch.
19 Cecil Brydie’s (Royal Navy, Lisbon Maru) family got in touch.
17 Through the kindness of Jim Thompson and Greg De’eb, myself and a few others had dinner at Crown Wine Cellars with Lawrence Tsui (The son of Captain Paul Tsui, MBE, of the British Army Aid Group). Lawrence has a plan to create a ‘BAAG Trail’ with associated museum (both physical and virtual), espousing the achievements of BAAG and their successful co-operation with the East River Guerrillas.
17 Tim Luard – son-in-law of Colin McEwan - is particularly interested in corresponding with any survivors of the December 25th MTB escape from Hong Kong (though we fear that only Henry Hsu is left). The plan for the Xmas 2009 re-enactment of the escape is gaining momentum, and Tim is keen to research as much as possible. If anyone can help him, please contact me. Tim also notes that Paul Draken, referred to last month, is a fictional character.
16 Tad Hosoi – busy translating Frank Evan’s book into Japanese – sent me a very interesting drawing by Ken Sawyer, RAVC, from the Evans papers at the University of Wales. I hope to be meeting Tad and his partner in November.
16 Visited Donald Chan (son of Admiral Chan Chak) and his wife, to discuss the planned 2009 re-enactment of the Dec 25 1941 TB escape. Nice people, and not hard to see Chan Chak’s personality shining through his sons! Interesting to see the bullet that hit the Admiral – it was a 6.5, and not the 7.7 that I had assumed.
15 YET AGAIN I have been proved wrong in thinking that I knew of all the Lisbon Maru survivors still around. Douglas Stimson’s (Royal Navy, Lisbon Maru) niece was kind enough to get in touch from the States. I have his address now, and will correspond.
14 Had a nice walk through Tai Tam, looking idly for the old Howitzer batteries – such as Gauge Basin - on the way (we still haven’t found the definite location of the Ty Tam 4.5 inch howitzer battery, though the site of the current park management area is still the best bet). However, nipping down to Stanley for dinner we discovered that The Boathouse does a great sea food bucket!
12 Received a very interesting CD from Albert Shepherd. Albert was a Lisbon Maru boy, and this CD contained a one hour interview about his experiences. The Lisbon Maru part was sadly familiar, but Albert’s description of his early life (his mother died in childbirth – her ninth child – when he was 6, and he was sent down the coal mine when he turned 14) was quite eye-opening. He described his first days down the pit as being more terrifying than anything that happened during the war, as they were given absolutely no training for it. These experiences, no doubt, helped men like Albert survive the shocks of the Lisbon Maru and the Camps that followed.
11 Thomas Gorman’s (Royal Scots, Lisbon Maru) son-in-law got in touch, sending his POW Index Card. A friend kindly translated it as: “Showa 17, Oct/11: Transferred to Osaka Prison Camp. Showa 20, Sep/8: Passed to John Rock at Osaka station.” This is quite a typical Card. John Rock would have been a representative of the US 8th Army, responsible for Allied POWs.
11 Chris Anderson sent a map of Camp John Hay, Baguio, which I hadn’t seen before. Primarily it is of interest to me because we have a house at Camp 7 (very close), but at least one of the Hong Kong Evacuees (the Briggs daughter) spent the war interned in Camp John Hay.
10 Victor Higgins’ (HKDDC) nephew got in touch. Higgins’ wife was one of the many evacuated to Australia for the duration.
10 The Batgung boys announced an amazing find, a big collection of top-quality photos of Hong Kong from around late summer 1940. Harrison Forman was presumably one of the local American community, but he left before the invasion: http://www.batgung.com/photos-of-old-hong-kong#comment-6624
10 I received an email from John McDonald’s (Dockyard Police) daughter, pointing out that he was the uniformed man on the flight deck of HMS Victorious in Bob Tatz’ photo from last month. McDonald’s wife – Molly Yip – spent the war in Rosary Hill.
9 Dr Iain Gow sent a number of photos of his late father (James Gow, Royal Scots), the most interesting perhaps being the colour one of James Gow plus other ex-POWs at a reunion. Does anyone else have such post-war reunion photos? There was also an image of a telegram sent to Gow when he was recuperating in Melbourne after liberation (illustrated).
8 Exciting times: Today I received the draft cover for We Shall Suffer There. Too early to show it on this site yet, but I am now expecting the proofs at the end of the month, so we’re getting close!
8 Ron Abbott asks whether the HKVDC (2 Coy, presumably), ever had a Pipes & Drum Band? My guess is no, as what little time they had available as Volunteers would have been focused on military exercises, but I’m not 100% sure.
6 PB15 came up in discussion. This pillbox was at Deepwater Bay, and – as far as is known – right where the Victoria Recreation Club building now is. Does anyone (and I’m not holding my breath…) have a photo of the site before the VRC was built?
4 The niece of Shanghai Volunteer Douglas Mortlock got in touch. I was about to tell her that I focus on HK and know nothing about the Shanghai Volunteers when I realized that the name was a little familiar. I checked, and discovered that he had been married at St. John’s Cathedral in 1934 – which illustrates how close Hong Kong and Shanghai were in those days. Greg Leck’s book shows that Kathleen Mortlock was interned at Lunghwa, but I don’t know what became of Douglas.
3 Joseph Broadbent’s (Middlesex) daughter got in touch as they will be visiting Hong Kong shortly. Mr Broadbent was lost in the Hong Kong fighting (presumably in the Stanley area, though his body was not identified post war). She notes: “My Mother would not believe my Father was killed. She found it very hard to support the five of us and worked in Woolwich Arsenal where she was blown across the factory floor twice when it was bombed, but lived until she was ninety five.”
1 Tony Hyman sent a good photo of HMS Speaker, one of the many vessels engaged in the repatriation of ex-HK POWs in 1945.
Image:
August Images Evacuees in the Philippines, 1940 (courtesy Barbara Anslow), Fukushima Mintu article (courtesy Japan POW Network), Acting Governor Norton (courtesy Ron Rakusen) The first restaurant Maurice Parker ate at after liberation (courtesy Ron Parker), Vic Veriga by A.J. Savistky (courtesy Michael Martin), Repatriation on HMS Victorious (courtesy Bob Tatz) Stanley at liberation, Wendy Rossini at Stanley (both courtesy Bob Tatz), Albert Devonshire (courtesy Hazel Dolan)
August News 2008
A relatively short blog this month, thanks to the holidays. However, I also added some text for the last week of July so take a look – especially at the first competition ever staged on HongKongWarDiary (no prizes, alas!) There’s a nice set of photos this month too, ranging from pre-war to post-war.
28 Andrew Tuft got in touch. His father was aboard Swiftsure when she entered with Harcourt’s fleet to liberate Hong Kong at the end of August 1945. A number of Swiftsure’s crew are in Saiwan Cemetery with dates of death in early September 45, and we are wondering if anyone knows their story.
27 Tom McCready’s (Royal Navy, Lisbon Maru) granddaughter got in touch. McCready served at the Royal Naval Hospital in Wanchai.
26 Raymond Banks’ (Royal Artillery, Lisbon Maru) great niece got in touch.
26 William Nesbit’s (Royal Scots, Lisbon Maru) son got in touch.
26 Barbara Anlow was kind enough to send me a photo taken when she and her mother and sisters and I were billetted on a sugar plantation at Calamba in Philippine Islands in 1940 (having been evacuated, and before they returned to HK on Barbara’s father’s death shortly after).
25 Ron Rakusen sent me a photo of Acting-Governor Norton (see July blog), noting that there is a book “called ‘Hong Kong Centenary Commemorative Talks 1841-1941’ which contains transcripts of about 20 talks given by various personalities at Centenary time, including the talk by General Norton and also one by E I Wynne-Jones, the Postmaster General & Chairman of Broadcasting. The volume was dated 31st March 1941.”
23 Had an interesting email from American Robert Ward. His father (Jack Eugene Ward) was in Osaka #13D. He says: “What I am interested in are any books that you may know of about the British in the Osaka camps, especially Tsumori. One of my Dads best friends wrote a book about this camp but unfortunately, he wrote a story that is not so much prison life, but more of a dream or what he wanted it to be like in camp. The book is AVAIL THE TIME by Don Thomas Landreth. But the interesting story line in the book is that the main characters good friend is English and he gets a job with the English in a warehouse, where it's easier to steal or get food and other things. The English are from Hong Kong.”
22 Bob Tatz, who was a youngster in Hong Kong during the war, sent me a fascinating account of his experiences, together with a large set of photos of Stanley and after – including being repatriated on HMS Victorious (which was also of personal interest, as my father joined the ship’s company shortly after).
20 Received a copy of the third edition of Gordon Fairclough’s Brick Hill and Beyond, kindness of the author himself, which reminded me of the presentation of an earlier edition to the manager of the Hong Kong Club (illustrated).
20 Ron Parker in Canada sent me an interesting selection of photos from his father’s albums.
17 Had an enjoyable walk around Wong Nai Chung Gap with Zhao Xu, a reporter from China Daily who is interested in the history of Hong Kong; took the kids too. Initially the most interesting things we found were wildlife (a large loach in a catchwater, an unusual terrestrial crab, a long thin black snake, etc.), but finally – thanks to a number of landslides from the recent rains – a Japanese 6.5mm charger showed up by the side of the path.
17 Thanks to Barbara Anslow (and Michael Martin’s stanley_camp group on Yahoo), I am now in touch with Dr Mark Yaroogsky-Erooga from Tweed Bay Hospital, Stanley.
16 Paul Riches got in touch. He has recently bought the medals of Corporal L Munsey ,and is finalizing a book on the roll of honours and awards for the Far Eastern campaigns of 1941-1945. This sounds like a very useful work, as I am often asked for definitive answers on this subject, and can seldom help.
16 Cuthbert Gowland’s (HKVDC) granddaughter got in touch.
15 Michael Morris (who has helped me with a great deal of information including some unique photographs) notes: “My Father, Sapper John Idwal Morris, 22 Fortress Company, Royal Engineers held in Sham Shui Po will be 88 years young tomorrow the 16th August. I believe his best ever birthday present was for his 25th when Japan surrendered on the 15th August.” Hear, hear to that! A fine, positive, way to remember the end of the Second World War – and in Chinese custom, being 88 in the 8th month of 2008 is about as lucky as you can get!
14 Francis Dobbs’ (HKVDC) daughter got in touch. Her father was one of those men who – caught up in Hong Kong when the invasion came – immediately volunteered to help in the defence. The children were cut off in China, the mother was sent to Stanley Camp.
13 Albert William Devonshire’s (Middlesex) grandaughter got in touch. The family sent a photo, which they think was taken pre-war but they don’t know where. Those buildings look very familiar…
12 After a few email exchanges (Roger Mansell made the link), the Japanese paper Fukushima Mintu today ran a photo about the Senday #2B camp interpreter’s photos being found. In fact these are generally quite well known, and many Portuguese (HKVDC), and Canadian POWs brought copies back. Later, an English language version ran in the Telegraph (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2551289/Japanese-try-to-identify-British-POWs-in-secret-pictures.html ), the SCMP, and probably other papers.
12 My friend Dennis Morley from the Royal Scots (and Lisbon Maru) emailed saying: “I have found out where the Morley in my name has come from. My grandfather's name was Issac Morley Mower from Lakenheath.
Nearly all my ancestors came from Langham, Norfolk and Gressenhall, Norfolk. My Mother was born in London”. I found this pretty amazing, as my home ‘town’ (a village really) is walking distance from Langham, and my mother was also born in London. What’s more, I was born in the parish of Morley, Norfolk!
10 Stalwart researcher Roger Mansell in the US alerted me to a forthcoming newspaper article in Japan covering photos from Sendai #2B which have recently surfaced. In fact many of these photos are well known in the Canadian and Portuguese HKVDC circles, but it is nice to see them featured again.
8 Ron Parker in Canada was kind enough to alert me to this site: http://www.qaranc.co.uk/bmh_bowen_road_hong_kong.php. In fact I had seen it before, but am in two minds about it as one of the photos there appears to be identical to one on this site (scroll down a bit), except that they have added a logo implying some form of ownership. I hope I am wrong…
7 Today I received the copy edited ms for We Shall Suffer There. I hope to turn it around and get it back to the publisher around the end of the month.
3 Geoffre A. Arnold’s (HKVDC) daughter got in touch. This brought up again the issue of pre-war Volunteers such as Arnold (who have a four digit serial number), and ‘Volunteers’ who joined the HKVDC after the Government issued the Defence Regulations ordnance, requiring all men of a certain ethnicity and age to join up. These men have a numeric serial preceded by the letters ‘DR’.
July Images: Shinagawa British staff (courtesy NARA, via Rog Mansell), British Bayonet in St Stephen's, Interior of St Stephen's Library (both author) Portuguese POWs in Sendai (courtesy Voz dos Macaenses de Vancouver, via TK), Alf Cockley (courtesy Brian Cockley), Percy's medals (courtesy eBay, via Dave Deptford) Alf Cockley's original Yokohama grave (courtesy Brian Cockley), Same grave today (courtesy POW Network of Japan), Bird's sketch of Warrack's bed space, Hut 10, Argyle St. (courtesy John Warrack).
July News
As often happens, the July notes will be finished after the holidays. Any further news in the last few days of the month will be added in the August round up. I have also reserved space for two further photos just in case. Interestingly, though – and indicative of the growing interest in the period – even truncated by travel, this month’s blog is pushing 2,000 words…
28 Michael Hurst was kind enough to send me a couple of pages from NARA files on ex-HK personnel in Japan. 27 Had an email from Richard Hide asking about the identity of Paul Draken (also known as Paul De Ruiken) who was on the Dec 25 1941 MTB escape. Does anyone know anything about him? 27 David MacDougall’s (Ministry of Information) daughter got in touch. 25 Had a very interesting email from the son of Sandy Warrack RAMC, describing his experiences (and his mother’s) as a young evacuee in Australia, and his father’s post-war life. 24 Competition: Today I watched a little online documentary by a group calling themselves ‘Histori.ca’. Now, we’re all used to Hollywood falsifying history - and in a way it’s understandable as their job is to entertain rather than teach - but why would a group whose mission is “enouraging the best possible Canadian history education” do it? Very odd. Anyway, here’s a challenge: Count the errors in it and see if you can beat me. Of course we can argue about the details, but I counted eight significant and certain errors. Anyone who can beat that can be credited (if they want to be!) in the September update of this site! http://www.histori.ca/minutes/minute.do?id=14743 --
23 Well-known Hong Kong historian Patricia Lim has been studying the Hong KongColonialCemetery. One grave she has noted is that of Nowell Bernard White (plot 23/12/7) of the HKVDC ASC Unit. According to the CWGC (http://www.cwgc.org/search/casualty_details.aspx?casualty=2129850) his burial place is unknown and he died on December 22 1941 (presumably, though not certainly, in The Ridge / Overbays / Eucliffe massacre). However, his headstone in the cemetery lists his date of death as December 18th. Has he perhaps been muddled with another White (http://www.cwgc.org/search/casualty_details.aspx?casualty=2815468). Does anyone have any ideas?
22 Barbara Anslow (nee Redwood) confirmed that she will be revisiting Hong Kong in October. We’ll make a thing of it, and go back to Stanley to look at her old quarters in the internment camp there.
19 Today we revisited the B25 (Bold Venture) March 1945 crash site just past Pak Long village in the far western NewTerritories. It looks like development will cover the area before long; the village and local industry have grown up a great deal since my previous visit (which must have been at least six years ago). Five American airmen died in the crash – out of at least 55 (USAAF and USN) who perished in air operations in and around HK.
17 From Barbara Anslow I received a letter from 1940, describing her experience in the Philippines after evacuation from Hong Kong, and also a ‘new’ account of the American internee experience in Stanley from newspaperman George Baxter – making three that I am aware of.
16 I hear from Crown Wine Cellars that they managed to procure Percy’s medals. This couldn’t be more appropriate, as Percy would almost certainly have gone to The Ridge from Little Hong Kong, before being caught up in the dismal retreat from the former, and losing his life (as far as can be seen) at the Overbays massacre. Of all the possible fates of his medals, display at the restored RAOC bunkers that make up the Wine Cellars is the best.
14 Albert Shepherd’s (Royal Artillery, Lisbon Maru) daughter got in touch, noting that the old boy is not only still around, but is celebrating his 90th birthday on the 18th! A copy of The Sinking of The Lisbon Maru is on its way as a late birthday gift.
14 TK sent me a photo I hadn’t seen before, of Portuguese HKVDC POWs at Sendai. From Voz dos Macaenses de Vancouver, December 2004, “It shows a group of Allied prisoners at what appears to be aChristmas Mass, probably at the Sendai camp in Japan, wheremany of the Volunteers were made to do hard labor duringWWII. Jorge Remedios says: ‘I recognize a few of the faces. Roque daSilva, Pinky’s older brother, is behind the makeshift altar withthe cross. Chodas Remedios is two persons to our right of theguy holding a prayer book. Fourth from the left may be LeoCampos. The tall guy on the extreme right is my uncle EddieRemedios.’ ”
13 Ron Parker let me know he had found a copy of “15 Chinese Ink and brush stroke sketches of Prisoner of War Camp Life in Hong Kong by Lieut. A. V. Skvorzov, HKVDC, 25 December, 1941 to August 30, 1945” (cover illustrated) in his father’s papers. This is quite a well-known book, and many ex-POWs had copies. The SCMP re-printed a much-expanded version a few years ago.
12 Dave Deptford let me know that Private William Herbert Percy’s (RAOC) medals were for sale on EBay.
11 RTHK were kind enough to send me a copy of a speech made by the Acting Governor of Hong Kong to mark the Colony’s centenary. Of course, in those days the radio station was still called ZBW. There were no names or dates attached to the recording, but a little research shows that while Governor Northcote was on leave, on June 30, 1940 Lt. Gen. Edward Felix Norton was appointed Acting Governor. As the centenary was January 1941, and as Norton was injured while walking on Feb 19, 1941, then he must have been the speaker. On Mar 20, 1941, Northcote chaired the first meeting after his leave, while tributes were still being made to the injured Norton. (Sir Mark Young would of course be appointed in place of Northcote before the Japanese attack).
10 Received the final sets of photos of Admiral Chan Chak from Donald Chan. I had no idea that the Christmas Day MTB escape was so well documented!
9 Annemarie Evans also emailed about Leonard Starbuck: “Arthur Gomes commented on how they would both look up at the stars at night as Starbuck knew the constellations from his work at the Observatory. Starbuck smoked and when there wasn’t enough tobacco he would find other things to smoke.He died young-ish in the 1950s. He had a son Colin who was 10 at the time of this death.I know Colin from Romsey in Hampshire where I grew up. We used to play in a jazz band ‘Shambles’ together at Colin’s house. He has three daughters and I went to school with his oldest daughter, Jo.She came to Hong Kong in 2001 and we visited the Observatory, informing a senior scientific officer Mr Tam (who was also at my party in June) that she was coming for a tour. They were fantastic. Mr Tam not only took time to give Jo a tour but he had located a bunch of sepia photos and had them scanned and printed of her grandfather for her to take back to Colin.”
8 I was invited to visit St Stephen’s in Stanley to identify some of the items left over from the war, and found in the grounds.
7 Alf Cockley’s (Royal Artillery) nephew got in touch, sending many fine photos and several letters. An excerpt from a letter sent home of 25.Aug.41 reads: “Things out here are getting very boring.We are standing by waiting for the Japs to start.The place itself is not too bad as you will read in my other letters (if you get them) but still keep smiling it won't be long now.” Alf would die in 1943 at Sakurajima (Osaka #4B) of angina pectoris.
6 Today I finally met Professor Brian Farrell (Deputy Head of History at SingaporeUniversity) - and a very nice chap he turned out to be. Brian was the first reader of Not The Slightest Chance and gave much useful advice.
5 While working through a list of Hong Kong Club members lost in the war, I cam across an ‘S.T. Hand’. No one of that name appears in any of my files, but the CWGC has a ‘Tommy Hand’ lost in Singapore on the SS Redang.Hand worked for Malcolm and Company, and Alexander Malcolm’s great grandniece confirms the two worked together. Another name in the Club’s list, Rickwood, was definitely aboard the SS Redang when she was sunk, so all I need to do now is explain why the two of them were in Singapore at the time!
5 Gabriel Pare’s (Winnipeg Grenadiers) nephew got in touch.
4 Elizabeth Ride sent a note including her father’s witness statement for the War Crimes Trials: “On the steps leading to Lyon Light No. LL15 by the roadside, west of DeepWaterBay, were the bodies of 6 Middlesex ORs, recognisable by their hosetops. Their hands and feet were still tied. There were large blood stains on the cutting and the roadside on the opposite side of the road, and streaks of blood stretching from this, across the road to the steps where the bodies lay in a heap. Their heads had been almost completely severed by sword cuts." Rob Weir reckons that PB 15 and Lyon Light 15 were on the site of today’s Victoria Recreation Club (VRC) at the western end of DeepwaterBay – a place where I’ve enjoyed a beer or two in the past.
4 The Vancouver Museum contacted me asking for details on a Japanese internee at Stanley Camp: “Mrs. Eleanor O. Hardie was Japanese married to a British merchant captain/officer and functioned as an interpreter during the internment. When she passed away, about ten years ago, on Vancouver Island, Canada, I visited her home to collect some items for the VancouverMuseum: a Japanese tea kettle, lacquer tea ceremony containers, as well as a Japanese sword, which according to the executor had belonged to her brother.”
4 Visited the Hong Kong Club today to discuss some new walks for them next year, building on the three wartime walks (the mainland, Wong Nai Chung Gap, and Stanley) that we have been doing regularly for the last few years.
2 Via Martin Heyes I heard about yet more British post-war ammunition being found in the NewTerritories. Theoretically it’s possible to find war-time stuff there, but in practice it’s almost always 7.62mm.
1 Also in Roger Mansell’s files I at long last found the answer to the question of the third B24 to crash carrying prisoners back from Okinawa to Manila soon after liberation. Just in time to get the details into We Shall Suffer There, which is being copy-edited at the moment! Also, more details on the other two planes, including this one on which Clive James’ father was traveling: Officer in charge of searching party advises he does not believe any survivors possible. Wreckage and bodies scattered over wide area. Total of 23 bodies assembled from wreckage." Those bodies were recovered and buried in the Kanzan Mountains north of Taito. Although Mr James and his comrades were not part of the Hong Kong garrison, post-war they were re-interred in Sai Wan.
1 Replying to last month’s question on details of Mr Starbuk, TK in Canada notes: “according to the H K CIVIL SERVICE LIST 1941 (Issue 37), L Starbuck got a B.Sc. degree in London U in 1911 and worked in the War Dept as a technical assistant in the CHEMICAL DEFENCE RESEARCH DEPT. (1935) before he came to HK in April 1936 joining the Royal Ob. as a professional assistant. He acted as the acting assistant director of RO in 1937. The last record about him as stated in the Civil List was departing on leave April 1940. The Civil List does not mention him as Volunteer officer. This Civil List clearly mentions all other civil servants who joined the Volunteer Defence Corps before the outbreak of war.”
1 Frank Daniel’s (Royal Engineers, Lisbon Maru) grandson got in touch.
1 Still wading through some 9GB of information from NARA kindly sent by Roger Mansell, I came across a very interesting list of British staff members – all ex-HK, at Shinagawa hospital in November 1944.
