Alfred BETHELL [1906-1952] | Gwulo: Old Hong Kong

Alfred BETHELL [1906-1952]

Names
Given: 
Alfred
Family: 
Bethell
Sex: 
Male
Status: 
Deceased
Birth
Date: 
1906-02-06
Death
Date: 
1952-06-07
Connections: 

Comments

Passenger List  arriving London October 1939

Alfred Bethell 33 Police Officer

Cecilia Bethell 38

Passenger List 1948 Hong Kong to Southampton

Alfred Bethell 42 retired UK address Green Bank Kingsley Warrington Lancashire

Will Alfred Bethell 1952 Arthur Bethell pensioner of 9 Ankow Road Kowloon, to wife Cecilia Maria Elenor Bethell Adminstration Henrietta Guilhermina Noronha [Carl Smith Card]

 

Alfred Bethell was a Hong Kong Police officer pre-World War 2 and he went by the nickname of "Traffic" Bethell - for obvious reasons.

He met his wife whilst he was in hospital following a traffic accident when he fell off his motorcycle sometime before the Japanese invasion of Hong Kong.

His wife-to-be was visiting her son, (born 1930), in hospital who had also been involved in a traffic accident when he fell out of a car during a drive to the New Territories. One thing led to another and Alfred became Bill's step-father.

Bill had an older sister and he told me that he became close to her in the internment camp. He felt that he felt compelled to look after her, to take care of her, as she was of a vulnerable age to licentious males wishing to take advantage of her - particularly drunken Japanese soldiers - in the camp.

After the war Alfred Bethell was not able to resume his Police career, reasons for which I will not disclose. He is buried in the Roman Catholic (St. Michael's) Cemetery in Happy Valley alongside members of his wife's family.

Born 6.2.1906   Enlisted 23.1.1933  as A 94       Pomoted Sgt 23.1.1942       Interned  Regraded to Sub Inspector 1946       Deceased in HK 7.6.1952