HONG KONG Before, During and After the Pacific War | Gwulo: Old Hong Kong

HONG KONG Before, During and After the Pacific War

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Submitted by Suziepie on Sun, 2012-03-25 10:12
Author: 
Maurice Frederick KEY [1886-1969]
Book type: 
Book
Dates of events covered by this document: 
Mon, 1941-12-08 to Fri, 1945-08-31

PERSONAL COMMENT ON THE ORIGINAL BOOKLET

Cover Page of Booklet 'HONG KONG Before, During and After the Pacific War'
Mr Maurice Frederick Key (ref: 1925 Jurors List) published a small, 12 page, soft-cover BOOKLET, initially in Kaplee, Kapunda, Australia, in November 1945.  Because of heavy demand, he re-produced the booklet in Hong Kong in June 1946. 

A copy of this booklet is in my, R.H.J. BROOKS family's, possession.  Though, as indicated in the introduction, a substantial amount of copies were produced, I have not seen nor heard of anyone having a copy - so presumably many have been lost over the years.  I have therefore decided that it would be a shame for this important record, so earnestly put together by Mr Key, to disappear into oblivion.  I have therefore decided to reproduce here, on GWULO, the whole booklet in its entirety.

There is no mention of Copyright on the booklet and so I feel confident that it would be his wish that this work, which substantiates so many others,  is recorded for the greater benefit of all those interested in the events that transpired in this tragic period of Hong Kong's history.

Mr Key was an internee in Stanley Prison Camp during WWII. For some time he shared a room with the Vice-Chancellor of the University - (who was giving lectures at the camp on English literature for two years, twice a week).

The booklet cover is titled:

  

HONG KONG

 

Before, During and After the Pacific War

  -- // --

  Being chiefly an account of the

 STANLEY CIVILIAN INTERNMENT CAMP

 -- // --

 BY

 M.F. KEY,  O.B.E.

 Secretary to the

 Hong Kong General Chamber of Commerce

  

Ye Olde Printerie Ltd

 

  

Tags: 
Japanese attack
defences
surrender
camp organization
rations
black market
Red Cross
Stanley internment camp
General Conditions
Daily Routine
Repatriations
The Navy
Rescue
Future of HK
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Comments

Submitted by Philip on Thu, 2012-04-26 21:08.

Hi:

just to say last week I was at Imperial War Museum Research room and I found they had an original copy of this memoire by Maurice Key  in the Documents Collections. Best rgds,  Philip Cracknell

Submitted by brian edgar on Fri, 2012-04-27 21:11.

Thanks for typing up and providing this, Suziepie. It's a valuable addition to internet Stanley resources.

Submitted by Suziepie on Mon, 2012-04-30 13:26.

Thank you Brian and Phil for your comments.  I guess you're wondering when I'll get it all finished! Unfortunately I've been busy with other things lately, but I'll now be able to make a point of getting the last parts done in the next few days.

Suziepie

Submitted by David on Wed, 2012-05-02 21:00.

I see Suziepie has just finished typing the last section. It's an interesting read - thank you very much for sharing it with us.

Regards, David

Submitted by Admin on Thu, 2012-05-10 10:17.

Barbara Anslow writes:

Very many thanks for Mr Key's account, which I found an  extremely interesting and concise record of the Hong Kong story.

I was surprised though that he didn't make more of the agonising 2 week gap in Stanley from the day we were told the war was over until the arrival of the British Fleet.   Those 2 weeks seemed to go on forever, and we couldn't help wondering if the war really was over, and what would happen to us if the 'surrender' was suddenly revoked...