1 Oct 1945, Chronology of Events Related to Stanley Civilian Internment Camp

The clock on the Kowloon-Canton Railway Tower, the only public timepiece on the Peninsula, starts to tell the time again after almost 4 years.

The China Mail reports that Mr E. D. Robbins of the Health Department has returned to Hong Kong. He left on the repatriation ship Tei-a Maru on September 23, 1943 and found conditions worse than Stanley, with the Japanese trying to make as much money out of the passengers as possible. There was not enough to eat, and he had to buy supplementary food. People being repatriated from Shanghai were given 5,000 yen, but those from Hong Kong only had a monthly allowance of 29 yen. He found the Canadians very helpful, but nobody knew the truth about life in Stanley.

A commission is set up to examine cases of civilians suspected of collaboration with the Japanese - an Associated Press report to this effect will be cited in tomorrow's Daily Mirror (page 8) which will also note that a British Major is being held on suspicion of the same charge. This is Major Cecil Boon, who spent the war in Shamshuipo. Some of his associates have also been arrested by the incoming troops. Boon's case will come to trial in London and acquitted of all charges.

In a speech of farewell before leaving for recuperation, former Secretary for Chinese Affairs R. A.C. North, takes the opportunity of naming two prominent Chinese citizens who should NOT be considered guilty of collaboration. He pays tribute to Hong Kong's Chinese population and says he understands that they suffered far worse than he did (in Stanley) because they were exposed to the full brutality of the Gendarmes. He tells his audience that he had hoped to stay uninterned to intercede for them, but had instead gone with Grenville Alabaster and (the late) John Fraser to the China Building to ask Sir Robert Kotewall, Sir Shouson Chow and their colleagues to take on 'what should have been my duty'. He hopes that his speech will put an end to the 'misunderstandings' that had arisen - Kotewall in particular had been unjustly accused of collaboration for obeying North's injunction to work with the Japanese for the sake of the Chinese masses.

The (London) Times publishes this notice in its page 1 Personal columns:

Mrs. L. A. NEWNHAM, civilian internee, Stanley Camp, Hong-kong: two letters received: safe and well.

Colonel Lanceray Arthur Newnham was executed on December 18, 1943 for his resistance activities in Argyle Street Camp. In January 1918 he had married Phyliss Edith Henderson at St. Mary's in Finchley .

Sources:

Clock: China Mail, October 3, 1945,1

Robbins: China Mail, October 1, 1945,1

North: China Mail, October 2, 1945, 4.