70 years ago: Hong Kong's wartime diaries

Sir Anthony Eden, the Foreign Secretary, shocks the House of Commons with a statement on Japanese treatment of POWs and internees.

He talks about conditions in both the Northern and Southern areas, the first including Hong Kong:

His Majesty's Governemnt are reasonably satisfied that conditions generally in this area are tolerable, though...the scale on which food is provided is not adequate over long periods to maintain the health of prisoners. I should add, however, that conditions in Hong Kong appear to be growing worse.

He goes on to detail a number of Japanese atrocities, including their actions before and after the torpedoing of the Lisbon Maru:

Conditions on board were almost indescribable. The prisoners were seriosuly overcrowded. Many of them were undnernourished and many had contracted diphtheria, dysentery and other diseases. There was no medical provision;  and the sanitary arrangements were virtually nonexistent. Two of the prisoners in one hold died where they lay and no attempt was made to remove their bodies.

On October 1, 1942 the ship was torpedoed:

The Japanese officers, soldiers and crew kept the prisoners under hatches and abandoned ship forthwith, although she did not sink until 24 hours later. There were insufficient life belts and other safety appliances on board. Some of the prisoners managed to break out and swim to land. They were fired on when in the water. In all, at least 800 prisoners lost their lives.

Source:

Hansard: http://hansard.millbanksystems.com/commons/1944/jan/28/japanese-treatment#S5CV0396P0_19440128_HOC_9

Note:

A few hours later the Canadian Prime Minister King made a similar statement in the Canadian House of Commons about the treatment of Canadian prisoners.