12 Oct 1942, Chronology of Events Related to Stanley Civilian Internment Camp

The Hong Kong News carries a grim headline:

Hong Kong Prisoners On Torpedoed Vessel

Nearly Half Of Total Lost Through Action Of American Submarine

The article claims that the more than 900 British POWs who survived expressed 'chagrin' that their comrades lives had been lost through the action of an Allied power and 'gratitude' to the Japanese authorities for their treatment.

In reality the submarine Grouper didn't know the Lisbon Maru was carrying prisoners because, contrary to international convention it wasn't marked as such and the Japanese battened down the hatches and shot prisoners who broke out as the ship slowly sunk. Chinese fishermen saved about 200 men, some swum to safety, while the Japanese eventually rescued the rest.

Barbara Anslow's diary for October 8 shows that the internees had got news of the sinking before they read today's paper.

Emily Hahn notes the reaction of the Allied civilians in town:

Hong Kong when the news came to us was a pit of horrible misery and the Japanese rubbed it in cruelly in the paper

Source:

Pit of misery: Emily Hahn, China To Me, 1986 ed., 409

Note:

For the story of the Lisbon Maru, see the Chronology for September 25, SEpte,ber 27, October 1 and October 6.