70 years ago: Hong Kong's wartime diaries

When we left Goodwin, he was on his way to the British Army Aid Group, the BAAG. Elizabeth Ride has kindly looked through her collection of BAAG material and sent copies of the documents that mention him.

• 4 Aug 44: 4. HONGKONG
  A British P.W., Liut. GOODWIN, H.K.R.N.V.R. has escaped from SHAMSHUIPO Camp and has been brought out to WAICHOW by the Reds - This is terrific news, and may open up complete new vista on MI9 in HONGKONG. He should be up here in about a fortnight. I am longing to interrogate him - it will be completeley up to date news. Since he is an offr, he was obviously in ARGYLE St. Camp and was then transferres to SHAMSHUIPO. BAAG ref 18/416/E. (119.PDF)
• 3 Sep 44: "Lt. GOODWIN arrives today 3 SEP 44 from WAICHOW. We gather he is in poor physical state. What arrangements are you making for him in INDIA? Please signal reply to this. BAAG ref: 18/441/E (48.PDF) The author is Major Minshull-Ford, BAAG Intelligence officer at the time (even though it is nominally from the Commandant).
• 22 Sep 44: "Lt. R.B. GOODWIN, N.Z.R.N.V.R., who escaped from SHAMSHUIPO Camp on 17 JUL 44, is now recuperating at KUNMING. A detailed report will be made upon completion of interrogation. BAAG ref: KWIZ No.67. (8.PDF)
• 16 Aug 44: The escape of LIUT CHOR GOODWIN from SHAMSHUIPO has acted as a great tonic to MI9 work in the HONG KONG area and his arrival here is awaited wth great interest, for on the information he brings out will defend entirely the whole trend of our work, e.g., if we can be definitely sure that P.O.W. are sent from HONG KONG to JAPAN or FORMOSA in small junks, the possibility of running pirate junks along the coast becomes of great interest and value. BAAG ref: B/127/44 (56.PDF) A report written by Col. Ride.
• ?? ??? ??:  10 FUTURE P.W. ESCAPE OPERATIONS.
  [...]
  (b) Escape.
  The reason for initiating escape operations is no longer to gain valuable bodies for the war effort but purely and simply to save lives, hence individulal escapes again become advisable. Neither does the reprisal argument against individual escapes any longer hold good because it would appear that there is a big chance of many of the P.W.'s ultimately being lost whether or not there is any attempt to escape. The repercussion after Lt. GOODWIN's escape (R.M. 387 et seq; J.G. 285 and 548 et seq) were not as drastic as one might have expected and it would appear that escape morale is again in existence, among certain P.Ws at any rate.
  The mass escape plan as suggested by the FORMOSANS is definitely NOT worth considering in its present form.
  BAAG ref: ??? (78.PDF)
• 23 Sep 1944: Following from 76 dated 19th Sep grade B2.
  (a) Many British, some Americans Latin Americans Russians and Persians interned in S'PO as possible repercussion of GOODWIN's escape as these people were parcel senders.
  (b) Lieut HAZELL and NISSIM H.K.R.N.V.R. were detained for 3 days and tortured after G's escape.
  BAAG ref: ??? (101.PDF) The source of 101.pdf is Advanced Headquarters, Waichow, with intelligence supplied by Agent 76 (probably a new agent, not the original 76 who brought the POW lists). 
• 20 Oct 1944: The BAAG write a report of Goodwin's comments about the conditions in the POW camps. Here is the first section which gives his background:
  [Goodwin] was 1st Lieutenant of M.T.B.10 2nd M.T.B. Flotilla HONGKONG from 8 Oct. 41 until he was wounded in the thigh on board on 21 Dec. 41. At the time of the surrender of the Colony, he was in hospital in the University buildings. The Japanese put the hospital under Japanese guards, but in most cases the patients were not interfered with in any way. He was moved around from the University hospital to QUEEN MARYS Hospital, thence to R.N. Hospital, and finally to STALBERTS Convent where ho was discharged and sent to NORTH Point P.W. Camp on 25 Feb. 42. Ha remained there until 18 Apr. 42 when all naval personnel were moved to other P.W. camps, the officers to ARGYLE St., and the men to SHAMSHUIPO Camp. On 11 May 44 he was moved to the offrs camp in SHAMSHUIPO where he remained until the date of his escape.
  You can read the full report at: http://gwulo.com/node/34315