J H MIDDLECOAT [c.1895-????] | Gwulo: Old Hong Kong

J H MIDDLECOAT [c.1895-????]

Names
Given: 
J H
Family: 
Middlecoat
Sex: 
Male
Status: 
Deceased
Birth
Date: 
c.1895-01-01 (Year, Month, Day are approximate)

DoB fom John Black's list, which gives his occupation in 1941 as "Canadian Pacific Railway", and also notes his nationality was Canadian.

Comments

Mr Middlecoat was repatriated with a small number of other Canadian trade officials in the 'American' repatriation of 1942. In his debriefing he gave Canadian intelligence details of shipping movements he'd observed from the roof of the hotel where he was incarcerated January 5-c.January 21 before going to Stanley. This must have been one of the earliest acts of civilian resistance!

He also provided information as to shipping he'd observed from the Stanley camp and his impression that about half the crew of the Asama Maru were still being trained. He's described as a 'traffic agent, CNR' - I think that must be the company usually called CPR or Canadian Pacific.

Source

RG 24 Intelligence, West Coast, Volume 11923, 09-6, 'Interrogation of Canadian Repatriates Aboard Grispholm'