May, Jun 1954 - Kai Tak saboteur

10 May 1954   -   I sail (for home) on July 25th, as yet the boat is unknown.

One strange memory.   One crew, well before I arrived in Hong Kong, had decided to chance their arm and take a GSL, filled with some sort of contraband, up the Pearl River to Canton.   I don’t know how far they managed to get but they were caught and spent time in the military prison in the colony.   Whilst I was there, the coxwain of the GSL was released, had served his time, and returned to Shamshuipo prior to being shipped home.   I remember being very naïve and asking him a very cheeky question.   I can’t remember the question or the gist of his reply, probably very rude indeed but he began his answer with, and this in broad scots, “my dear young military acquaintance”.   After which he probably shot me to pieces!

24 May 1954   -   There was a big exercise on at Kai Tak aerodrome.   The chinese had come over the border and were attacking the airstrip.  I was to be a communist saboteur…I had to climb over an eight-foot roadside fence and then through a roll of concertina barbed wire.   I didn’t last long however…RAF police complete with alsatians were on to me all too quickly.   Funnily, as I was scaling the wire cars were stopping to see what was happening but absolutely no-one tried to interfere.   I had a thunderflash in my sock…I was searched but the police didn’t find it.   I was taken to the intelligence wing where I was searched again and much to the two officers present surprise the thunderflash was discovered!

28 June 1954   -   The European TV link-up sounds wonderful.   Wish I could have been home to see it.