dad.jpg | Gwulo: Old Hong Kong

dad.jpg

dad.jpg
Submitted by ren32

Hi My Dad was a War Correspondant for the BBC and came here in the years 44-45. He wrote lots of letters back to my mum, which I kept.

 He sailed on the Gambia. He then stayed at the Gloucester Hotel. Then Edward Ward of the BBC asked him to go down the Yangtse with him to take photos for a book (Chinese Crackers byy Edward Ward) .of which I have a copy. 

There is not a lot of interesting content to this website in his letters as they are mainly about me (born 1940) and what he was buying and sending for us) He used an interesting code for where he was at the time and his plans , it involved Crossword type clues for the places involved that only Mum would know. Anyway , here he is the handsome devil!

Regards to all, Ren

Date picture taken (may be approximate): 
Friday, April 20, 1945
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Comments

Submitted by David on Mon, 2017-10-16 17:39.

Thanks for the information about your father. Please could you let us know his name?

Do you know if any of his work is preserved? It would be fascinating to read his reports on what Hong Kong was like just after the liberation in 1945.

Regards, David

Submitted by ren32 on Mon, 2017-10-16 17:58.

He was Cecil Carlyon ("Carl"... he hated the Cecil!)

Yes I have all his air letters to Mum. I will look them out and post some extracts. The BBC archives have his reports, I am sure. The book Chinese Crackers is a good read. When Ed Ward invited him to go down the Yangtse with him my Dad jumped at it. Next day he received a telegram from the BBC ordering him home. He pretended he didnt receive it. Took off for China with Ed and had a wonderful trip (Wouldn't you?!)

Thanks for your interest.