70 years ago: Hong Kong's wartime diaries
30 Jun 1943, Chronology of Events Related to Stanley Civilian Internment Camp
Submitted by brian edgar on Wed, 2012-02-15 19:51Book / Document:Date(s) of events described:Wed, 30 Jun 1943With the Camp still 'in turmoil' over the arrests two days before, George Wright-Nooth, Alec (or Alex) Summers and George Merriman are almost arrested.
Wright-Nooth is with Summers and Merriman in their room, where another hidden radio is concealed. A group, including three obvious members of the Kempeitatai, fling open the door. Wright-Nooth leaves swiftly, and later receives a visit from a 'very white and worried' Summers and Merriman telling him that, if questioned, he must tell the same story as them: they did have a radio, but when a notice was issued banning them, they broke it up and threw it into the sea near the hospital.
The radio was buried that night and probably never used again.
Summers was head of M16 and Merriman worked for that organisation. Perhaps unbeknown to Wright-Nooth, they also had a gun hidden in the Chinese- style kitchen next to their room. R. E. Jones records a prohibition on short-wave radios on November 1, 1942.
Through his spy-hole in Stanley Prison's 'G' Block, William Anderson sees the arrival of the 'military party' - soldiers arrested for resistance activity in the Kowloon POW camps.
Sir Vandeleur Grayburn, E. P. Streatfield and Dr. Harry Talbot are taken to court and tried. Streatfield wrote later:
(T)he three of us were taken out of our cells at 8 a.m. and, having been given a bowl of rice to eat, were handcuffed togther and taken under an escort of Japanese and Indian warders in a small covered truck into Hong Kong to the Supreme Court.
Although no charges are specified, the proceedings relate to smuggling money into Stanley. They deny attempting to cheat the Imperial Japanese Army and plead they saw no harm in trying to alleviate the situation of Bank and other dependants, especially as most of the intended recipients of their aid weree women. They are sentenced to three months in prison, time already served not to count.
E. P. Streatfield testifies:
Grayburn from the start commanded the respect of the prisoners and most of the warders, not only on account of his age, but because of the cheerfulness and dignity with which he bore the unpleasantness of his position.
Sources:
Almost arrested: George Wright-Nooth, Prisoner of the Turnip Heads, 1994, 150-151
MI6: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/stanley_camp/message/1364
Revolver: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/stanley_camp/message/140
Anderson: Statement of W. J. Andserson in Hong Kong Public Records Office, HKRS163-1-104, page 8, point 68
Grayburn et. al.: E. P. Streatfield, Account, page 8 (trial) and page 10 (Grayburn's respect), in Hong Kong Public Records Office, HKMS100-1-6; Frank H. H. King, The History of the Honkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation, Volume 111, 623; Maurice Collis, Wayfoong, 1965, 227
30 Jun 1943, R. E. Jones Wartime diary
Submitted by Admin on Sun, 2013-06-02 16:15Book / Document:Date(s) of events described:Wed, 30 Jun 194330 Jun 1943, Eric MacNider's wartime diary
Submitted by Admin on Tue, 2016-06-21 14:39Book / Document:Date(s) of events described:Wed, 30 Jun 1943No parcels for internees at Stanley notified in HK News.
30 Jun 1943, Diary of George Gerrard in Stanley Internment Camp Hong Kong
Submitted by Alison Gerrard on Sun, 2019-01-20 12:55Book / Document:Date(s) of events described:Wed, 30 Jun 1943Yesterday (Tuesday) evening I received your glorious and loving letter of 18th October 1942 so I think this one completes all the letters written by you in Glasgow during October '42 and for these dearest I can assure you I am very grateful. It is fine to know at the time of writing you were settling down in Glasgow and enjoying being there and keeping well and fit.
It is said that there are many more letters in town, but as the Japanese censor the letters again and judging by the rate the letters have been coming into the camp, they are very slow and I also think the Civil and Foreign Affairs Dept. are always in conflict with the Gendarmerie and the Military so that things are not easily dealt with.
Of course the other alternative is open to the Japs and that is either commit all the letters to the waste paper basket or burn them which they seem to have done with the previous lot namely the May, June and July letters of last year. However my dear we continually live in hope of letter days to come and the news we receive is still good and makes us hopeful.
The sensation of the season is the arrest of six internees by the Gendarmerie on Monday evening. W.J. Anderson (Andy), W.R.Scott and Lou Black (Police) ((I don't see a "Lou Black" on the lists of internees, but other reports mention Inspector Louis Whant, so I think that is who is meant here.)), Bradley (Similarily), Rees (Wireless) and Freddie Hall (Lew Crawfords). There are all sorts or rumours of wireless sets and money and what not, but there is at the moment nothing definite as to the reason. It appears very strange and I don't envy the lads.
I am busy these days typing out certificates for our staff just in case they get repatriated but my time is very restricted with being on rations all forenoon and now with Andy away I have more figures to work out. I have also typed out the new list of church sidemen for July and August.
The weather has been very wet lately but is now improving. D.B.B. and I were at J.Fs' on Saturday as usual.
