70 years ago: Hong Kong's wartime diaries

CIVILIAN INTERNEES. (Source 98)

A list of names with a view to carrying out a repatriation scheme has been sent to the Colonial Secretary, Mr. Gimson, who is interned at Stanley, for approval but it is generally believed nothing will come of this as Gimson is said to be against it. He is reported to be firmly convinced that no one should be repatriated who will be urgently needed when the Colony is recaptured.

GRAYBURN and STREATFIELD. were expected to be released on 25 Mar 43 but had not yet, on 31 Mar, returned to the bank.

63 reports that the cause of these two men's arrest was that a Japanese spy got possession of a HK$500 note in Waichow and sent it back to Hongkong before that issue of notes was in circulation. We know nothing of this alleged incident here.

Norwegians.

Hongkong News 20 Feb 43 contains a notice stating that all Norwegians would be interned 22 Feb 43. (This is our first information of the exact date of internment - if correct.)

RELEASED CHINESE EX VOLUNTEERS. (Source - A former Chinese Regt. soldier who worked in the Japs Anti-Epidemic Squad from Sept. 42 to the end of Mar 43.)

There are 27 Chinese formerly interned in S.S. Po camp now living in May Hall, Hongkong University. Most of these were formerly volunteers, and all of these except one are now working in the Anti-Epidemic Squad (chinese characters) of the Sanitary Department (chinese characters). Immediately after their release in Sept. 1942 there were 32 men in May Hall. Since that time five have escaped.

The duties of this squad are injections and innoculation. The head of the Sanitary Department (chinese characters) who was concurrently the head of the Anti-Epidemic Squad (chinese characters) is a Japanese civilian TUNG LAM MAU (chinese characters). The 2nd in command of the Anti-Epidemic Squad is Sir ROBERT HO TUNG's son-in-law YEUNG KWOK CHEUNG (chinese characters). Another important official in the Sanitary Department is CHOI AH LAI (chinese characters) formerly an assistant to the Professor of anatomy in the University of Hong Kong. He was also a Japanese censor under the British Government in Hong Kong and thought to be a Formosan. His position is 'chinese characters'.