David MANN [c.1913-1948] | Gwulo: Old Hong Kong

David MANN [c.1913-1948]

Names
Given: 
David
Family: 
Mann
Sex: 
Male
Status: 
Deceased
Birth
Date: 
c.1913-01-01 (Year, Month, Day are approximate)
Death
Date: 
1948-11-02

Comments

Notes from Philip Cracknell on the Stanley Discussion List:

Canadian National repatriated Sept 43. Was interviewed by DM MacDougall on return to Montreal from NY where he arrived on Gripsholm (2). Prior to the war he had worked in Special Branch (Japanese Section). He spoke fluent Japanese and Cantonese. "He was twice questioned by the Japanese as to his former activities - once in regard to a spy case  in 1938 where he had figured prominently. The suspected spy whom Sgt Mann had questioned repeatedly and at length turned out to be a Lt-General in the Gendarmerie  and it was he who sent for Sgt Mann and in his turn questioned him. He wanted to know how Sgt Mann had got on to him in 1938. The Lt General complimented Sgt Mann on his courtesy and consideration in the 1938 case. On the second occassion Sgt Mann was questioned by the Foreign Affaires Dept and asked to arrange for the transfer of the Hong Kong Police Alien  Registration records to the Japanese Dept.; having secured Pennefeather-Evan's approval of what was by then a harmless task he went ahead as ordered  and on completion of the job was returned to Stanley. (Source: Interview Notes by David MacDougall ofd HK Govt repatriates of Canadian nationalty returning via NY to Montreal on Gripsholm (2).)

David Mann's funeral was reported on page 3 of The China Mail, 1948-11-04:

Funeral Of David Mann

The funeral of Mr. David Mann, aged 35, who died suddenly at Queen Mary Hospital on Tuesday afternoon took place at the Colonial Cemetery yesterday. The Rev. J. H. Ogilvie, M.A., O.B.E. conducted the service.

Mr. Mann was formerly in the Hong Kong Police attached to Special Branch but when he returned from long leave some six months ago he transferred to the Revenue Auditing Department. He is survived by his wife.

Pall bearers were Inspectors K. Bodie, A. C. Stewart, G. Hogarth, A. F. Cochrane, D. Taylor and J. MacAusland. 

Among those present were Mrs. A. F. Cochrane, Mr. A. L. Barton, Mr. W. Fitches, Inspectors J. E. Hayward, T. Cashman, G. Carruthers, W. Wall, L. Cashman. R. White, T. B. S. Ross, A. Leslie, L. Gordon and many others.

His gravestone inscription (see http://gwulo.com/node/8741) reads:

18---/02/08- In ever dear memory of/ David Mann/ who died in Hong Kong/ on 2nd November 1948/ aged 36 years/ "One of God's best"

Born 12.3.1912  enlisted HKP 19.11.1934    as A 117   David A Mann    L/ Sgt 12.12.1935     Interned 1941    Married

Sgt 9.11.1943

David Mann was born in Falkirk Scotland. Described as British on various immigration records incl Gripsholm, wife Edith Canadian. 

Once repatriated there are a couple of Canada/US Border immigration entries for him which imply he was working for the same organisation as his wife. One suggests he was to fly to Britain in August 1944, his itinerary to be sent to the State Dept. On an earlier visit a note was to go to the US Consul in Vancouver where he had been living. Allies keeping track of each other?

I feel i must correct a post concerning the parentage of David Mann.       His father was David Mann   born in 1879 in Falkirk , Scotland  and died in 1955 in Falkirk , Scotland'

His mother was Mary Kirkwood Stirling born in 1884  in Falkirk , Scotland  and died in  1919 in Falkirk  , Scotland

He was the second eldest of four children , three boys and a girl , they were all cousins of my late mother.

What  , if any relationship to the other family of Mann i have no idea , however the couple did have a son  David  Mann and i beleive with the middle name of Kilpatrick.

One of David Mann's brothers lived in Vancouver and the minister Mann and his wife dd frequent Vancouver so maybe the families knew each other.

 

Apologies. Corrected.