16 Nov 1942, Barbara Anslow's diary | Gwulo: Old Hong Kong

16 Nov 1942, Barbara Anslow's diary

Primary tabs

Submitted by Barbara Anslow on Thu, 2012-03-08 21:01
Book / Document: 
Barbara Anslow's diary
Date(s) of events described: 
Mon, 16 Nov 1942

Mr V. Benwell and (Police) Dixie-Beale came back from x-ray.  Mr Benwell gave me two French books the Sisters at St Paul's gave him when he was there.

Mabel's pulse up so Dr. wouldn't let her out this evening.

News that Churchill had church bells rung in England because of victory in Egypt.
Mrs Drown played tonight, started with the 'V' sign, then church chimes because of victory.

I received a parcel! From  'Informal Welfare' - 1 tin pineapple, 1 tin paste, 1 tin of ginger, 1 tin beans. ((I've no idea what the 'informal welfare' was))

Sad to hear that Shamshuipo haven't received any Red Cross parcels yet.

  • Log in or register to post comments

Comments

Submitted by brian edgar on Sat, 2012-11-17 00:03.

Geoff Emerson's thesis mentions the Informal Welfare Committee on page 99 - it was the 'legal' arm of Selwyn-Clarke's relief operation from the French Hospital.

The name got back to the UK and was used in a HK Fellowship report: http://gwulo.com/node/12779

I'm pretty sure it was the same body as one referred to in a 1943 BAAG document as the Internees' Welfare Committee (and I think I've also seen it called the International Welfare Committee). THe BAAG lists the members working under Selwyn-Clarke as Sykes, Drake, Kennedy-Skipton and Barry.

Submitted by brian edgar on Sat, 2012-11-17 14:51.

Correction: the International Welfare Committee was based in Stanley itself. It consisted of reprentatives of the English, American and Dutch internees.

Submitted by eurasian_david on Thu, 2019-03-21 06:09.

Can anyone identify 'Drake' who was working under Selwyn-Clarke as listed by BAAG? (see above)

Was he the Professor Frederick Seuiger Drake (13th April 1892-21st August 1974) of the Chinese Department of Hong Kong University (post-war period)?

 

Submitted by brian edgar on Thu, 2019-03-21 17:06.

I think he was Darell Drake, a British citizen who had come to Hong Kong from Shanghai before the war. He worked for the Domei news agency and returned to Shanghai towards the end of 1942.

Submitted by eurasian_david on Thu, 2019-03-21 18:19.

That would be intriguing! 

If your suggestion is correct then we have someone working for a Japanese propaganda news media whilst being simultaneously employed by the British. If you have documentary evidence to that effect then this would suggest he was a double agent or a mole.

I think Prof FS Drake was interned in Shanghai rather than HK but BAAG’s influence should extend to all POWs/civilian internees in occupied China.

Submitted by eurasian_david on Thu, 2020-12-24 05:12.

"THe BAAG lists the members working under Selwyn-Clarke as Sykes, Drake, Kennedy-Skipton and Barry."

Hi Brian, would you happen to have that list of names still?