70 years ago: Hong Kong's wartime diaries

The first meeting of the Hong Kong Fellowship is held at the Queen Mary Hall, Y.W.C.A., in London's Great Russell Street. The organisers had recived 500-600 acceptances to their invitations but nearly 900 turn up and some people are unable to get into either hall.

Lt.-Gen Sir Arthur Smith is chairman. Former Hong Kong GOC Lt.-Gen Grasset gains 'the warm sympathy of his audience' by a tribute to the 'spendid behaviour of the troops under him' during the prelude to war. Mr. King speaks of the work of the Red Cross, and Mrs. Thorold of the formation of Prisoner of War Clubs.

Colonel Cole, of the Colonial Office, describes conditions in Stanley Camp, quoting Phyllis Harrop as to the location and nature of the buildings. He goes on:

The conditions in this camp have improved and may now be regarded as fairly satisfactory...

Sir Arthur Smith brings the meeting to a close with a speech stressing 'the high morale of the men', and recommending the consolations of the Christian religion.

Source:

The Hong Kong Fellowship Newsletter, No. 1, March 1943, 1-5

Notes:

The QM Hall/YWCA, Residential Club, now a hotel, is a 1928-32 building designed by Edwin Lutyens. From the description of the meeting, it seems that the organisers had booked two halls and held meetings in both (although still not accommodating all those who turned up).

http://list.english-heritage.org.uk/resultsingle.aspx?uid=1113221

Grasset left the China Command in August 1941.