Captain William Roy Worrall, a master mariner, marries Mrs. Raquel Bonner. The bride, whose husband was killed during the hostilities, has two children also in Camp.
Source:
Greg Leck, Captives of Empire, 2006, 618
Chronology of Events Related to Stanley Civilian Internment Camp: View pages
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Franklin Gimson confides to his diary that the camp 'abounds with rumours on the question of repatriation'. Many of them are said to emanate from Japanese headquarters and seem to him have the 'marks of veracity' - although he will soon find they are all false. But he's worried about the apparent leakage of information, especially because there are known to be internees who will pass on information to the Japanese.
In the morning he has a long interview with Hilda Selwyn-Clarke who seems glad to receive his assurance that he had always greed with her husband - now a prisoner - that he should never take part in political activities but confine himself to humanitarian relief work. But he feels that his statement is of little value, and that some of his friends had been less discreet in advising the former Director of Medical Services.
Source:
Franklin Gimson Diary, p. 12 (recto), Weston Library, Oxford
The Cathay Lodge (Freemasonry) agrees to hold a meeting on July 1. The meeting will be cancelled in the wake of the arrests of June 28 as likely to attract Japanese suspicions.
Source:
http://www2.gol.com/users/lodge1/history-e/papers/washizu.html
Note:
See also August 25, 1942 and January 5, 1945
Death of architect John Car Clark.
This morning's meeting of the British Community Council is interrupted by a request for Franklin Gimson to go to Japanese Headquarters to meet Maejima, who has recently returned from Japan. The camp has been expecting him to bring back firm news of repatriation, but he refuses to say anything more on the subject. Gimson believes the Japanese will take no action until their proposals have been finalised, but from Maejima's conversation he gathers that the repatriation of the women and children is certain and that most of the men will follow at a later date. It's this male repatriation that is delaying matters. Gimson produces a notice giving details of his talk with Maejima, but is told it would have a depressing effect on the camp - it's not clear if he actually has it posted or not.
Sources:
Clark: Philip Cracknell at http://battleforhongkong.blogspot.co.uk/
Gimson: GImson Diary, p. 12 (verso) and page 13 (recto, Weston Library, Oxford
Doris Brooks, a stenographer with Jardine Matheson, marries Police Sergeant Duncan George MacPherson.
Source:
Greg Leck, Captives of Empire, 2006, 618
Death of Reginald Trounce Nelson (aged 64).
He was the son of Robert Arthur E. Nelson, R.N., and Harriet Nelson and the husband of Minnie Nelson.
Before being sent to Stanley he was held at the Kowloon Hotel.
An internee spots Dr. Selwyn-Clarke being brought to Stanley Prison.
Sources:
Nelson: http://www.roll-of-honour.org.uk/civilians/html/n_database_10.htm
http://www.hongkongwardiary.com/searchgarrison/nonuniformedcivilians.html#_Toc43367492
Franklin Gimson offers the opinion, in his diary entry for this day, that church service is seen more as 'some form of entertainment' than 'a species of worship'
In the evening he has a long talk with Duncan Sloss. Gimson is looking forward to post-war reconstruction, and he's disgusted by the attitude of the mercantile community - 'They cannot appear to consider any other world than the one in which they can make money and retire'. He is confident that 'the pride of the youth of Britain' is not sacrificing itself 'for the securing of (the Hong Kong merchants') ill-gotten dividends'.
Source:
Franklin Gimson, Internment in Hong-Kong March 1942 to August 1945, typescript held at Rhodes House (Oxford), Ms. Ind. Ocn. S222
Franklin Gimson notes in his diary that he considers the British Communal Council 'a subversive organisation'.
He also mentions disapprovingly a discussion of post-war Hong Kong in which the members disregarded the interests of labour and considered only those of employers.
Although Gimson considers the B.C.C. a 'revolutionary body' (diary entry of Friday, June 25) Camp politics aren't about a simple clash between 'left' and 'right'.
Source:
Franklin Gimson, Internment in Hong-Kong March 1942 to August 1945,typescript held at Rhodes House (Oxford), Ms. Ind. Ocn. S222
Hugh Smith, a ship's draughtsman with the Taikoo Docks, marries Miss Margaret Elizabeth Black, a nursing sister, the Rev. Mackenzie Dow officiating. Mrs Smith writes:
Hugh and I were married on Saturday…The matron and the staff of ((Tweed Bay)) hospital gave us a reception. Under the circumstances we had a very nice wedding; everyone remarked on it. We were pleasantly surprised at the kindness shown to us. I wore a white pigskin dress piped with blue, and a small white hat instead of carrying a bouquet I had a spray of orchids…..
Some Japanese officers visiting the American Quarters are furious when they discover that a map drawn up by some internees to show their repatriation routes and those of their Japanese counterparts does not show Japan. They line up three men who happen to be in the room and smack their faces.
Sources:
Wedding: Hong Kong Fellowship Newsletter, December 1944, 14 (date from MacNider Diary)
Map: George Wright-Nooth, Prisoner of the Turnip Heads, 1994, 99
Death of Duncan Douglas Forbes, aged 56. He was a merchant before the war.
British Army Aid Group Document:
Source: Prem Singh Date: 27 June 43 Grade: B1
Internees message: Messrs Waterton, Logan and Griggs, late of the Wireless Section G.P.O., Hong Kong and now of Stanley, sent out the following verbal message to their wives and families:
'We and all others of the wireless section are keeping fit. We have received no mail so far. Mrs. F. K. Garton died during hostilities.'
Comment: WIS No. 32, Section 1, Sheet 7, para 4 refers. Above message has not been previously forwarded by any other route.
Sources:
Forbes: Geoffrey Emerson, Hong Kong Internment, 2008, HKUP, Appendix 3;
http://www.hongkongwardiary.com/searchgarrison/nonuniformedcivilians.html#_Toc43367492
BAAG: Edwin Ride, British Army Aid Group, 1981, 172
Note: D. W. Waterton was arrested on July 7 and executed on October 29 for his role in operating a secret radio. J. S. Logan shared a room and listening duties with Waterton and Stanley Rees, who was also excuted, but avoided arrest. The only two Griggs I can find on the Camp list drawn up in early summer 1942 are R. G. Griggs (Police) and G.R. Griggs (Inspector of Works).
The Kempeitai (Gendarmes) come to Stanley Camp. Their aim is to arrest two groups of people: firstly, those involved with a system of message exchange with uninterned British nationals in town and with Chinese agents of the resistance organisation, the British Army Aid Group, and secondly those operating forbidden radio sets in Stanley.
The first group are the Stanley end of a communication and smuggling system based on the ration truck that goes to and from camp every day. The 'town end' of this system was Alexander Sinton, arrested on May 2. It seems that 'Chinese spies' have been watching the ration truck since March (at the latest) and some time in June some of the Kowloon Bus Company drivers were also arrested.
As to the second group, Canon Martin explains:
Of course our captors gave every encouragement to informers. So the betrayer - perhaps I ought to say betrayers, I'm sure there was more than one - the betrayers passed on to the enemy the details of our radio set. The Japanese bided their time, until they felt they had obtained all the information they required, then they pounced....
Canon Martin seems to have been right when he says the Japanese 'bided their time': two arrests certainly are not directly connected with the radio, it seems the Kempeitai waited until they had enough evidence about both issues before coming into camp. And Camp Secretary John Stericker points out that the fact that in some cases (e.g. James Anderson) they knew the surname but the initials of the man they wanted suggests that their information came from informers.
At about noon the Chinese Supervisor Mr. Yip tells Deputy Police Commissioner Walter Scott he's wanted in Camp HQ 'up the hill'. He's taken to the Chinese Camp Supervisor's building ('House No. 2) and his torture starts almost at once.
At 2.30 Inspector Louis Whant is summoned by Yip.
Scott seems to have been charged with offences relating to both matters: he was accused of receiving messages from William White, a Portuguese member of the BAAG and also of having been given a message emanating from David Loie (the leading Chinese agent of the BAAG in Hong Kong) relating to establishing a coded radio link with BAAG Field Headquarters at Waichow. The reason for Whant's arrest is unknown, but it's more likely to have concerned receiving messages than operating radios.
At about 6 p.m. radio technician Stanley Rees is taken away by the Gendarmes. Camp Quartermaster William Anderson also receives a 6 p.m. visit, but a rather perfunctory search fails to find the radio hidden in his room, and through a confusion between him and James Anderson (who will be arrested on July 7) he's given a brief respite during which he manages to get rid of the wireless receiver by taking it in a gunny bag to a small store room at the other end of the building (American Block No.1). The Gendarmes return and a brutal interrogation begins in his room, as a result of which he decides to take the Japanese to the set. He's left in his room to await developments, but sneaks out to warn Franklin Gimson - seeing him presiding over a meeting he realises this is a mistake as, if he was seen, it would incriminate the Colonial Secretary. He returns to his room, where he receives a chance visit from Sybil Swift of the Hong Kong Education Department, who takes a message to Gimson warning him that the Japanese have Anderson's 'toy' and that he expects to be taken out of camp at any moment.
Meanwhile, the Gendarmes are continuing to round up the recipients of the ration truck messages, and Frederick Bradley, a public health inspector, and Frederick Ivan Hall, a butchery salesman for Lane, Crawford, are taken. They're both accused of regular receipt of messages, including the important one relating to BAAG radio reception.
Anderson is finally taken by car to the Gendarmerie, as are Scott, Rees, Whant, Bradley and Hall. Maejima is also there - he's come into camp today to take charge, as Nakazawa has been called up for military training.
At 11 p.m. Stanley Commandant Yamashita brings food and clothing for those who left camp without any.
A dreadful day ends on a surprising note: at midnight the prisoners are given a meal of well-cooked whole rice and fried fresh fish - a much better meal than they've been used to in camp.
Sources:
Canon Martin: Alan Birch and Martin Cole, Captive Years, 1982, 132
Stericker: John Stericker, Captive Colony, 1945, Chapter IX, page 16
Alexander Sinton: http://brianedgar.wordpress.com/2012/03/31/alexander-christie-sinton/
Reasons for arrest of Scott, Bradley and Hall: Ride Papers, captured Japanese Trial Document (kindly sent to me by Elizabeth Ride)
Yip and Scott, times of arrest, confusion between Andersons, hiding the radio, trying to warn Gimson, Swift's message, car to the Gendarme Station, Yamashita, good meal: Statement of W. J. Anderson in Hong Kong Public Records Office, HKRS 163-1-104, page 5, point 47 to page 7, point 61; see also: George Wright-Nooth, Prisoner of the Turnip Heads, 1994, 155-156, 159-160
In the early hours the internees arrested yesterday - Anderson, Bradley, Hall, Scott, Rees and Whant - are taken by car to cells in Stanley Prison's G Block. William Anderson is in a cell opposite the stairs and he's able to see many of the Block's arrivals and departures.
Thomas and Evelina Edgar celebrate their first wedding anniversary. They are presented with an engraved wooden plaque by their friends.
Sources:
Internees: Statement of W. J. Anderson in Hong Kong Public Records Office, HKRS 163-1-104, page 8, point 64
Edgar: http://brianedgar.wordpress.com/2011/12/22/reign-of-terror-6-first-wedding-anniversary-stanley-camp/
With the Camp still 'in turmoil' over the arrests two days before, George Wright-Nooth, Alec (or Alex) Summers and George Merriman are almost arrested.
Wright-Nooth is with Summers and Merriman in their room, where another hidden radio is concealed. A group, including three obvious members of the Kempeitatai, fling open the door. Wright-Nooth leaves swiftly, and later receives a visit from a 'very white and worried' Summers and Merriman telling him that, if questioned, he must tell the same story as them: they did have a radio, but when a notice was issued banning them, they broke it up and threw it into the sea near the hospital.
The radio was buried that night and probably never used again.
Summers was head of M16 and Merriman worked for that organisation. Perhaps unbeknown to Wright-Nooth, they also had a gun hidden in the Chinese- style kitchen next to their room. R. E. Jones records a prohibition on short-wave radios on November 1, 1942.
Through his spy-hole in Stanley Prison's 'G' Block, William Anderson sees the arrival of the 'military party' - soldiers arrested for resistance activity in the Kowloon POW camps.
Sir Vandeleur Grayburn, E. P. Streatfield and Dr. Harry Talbot are taken to court and tried. Streatfield wrote later:
(T)he three of us were taken out of our cells at 8 a.m. and, having been given a bowl of rice to eat, were handcuffed togther and taken under an escort of Japanese and Indian warders in a small covered truck into Hong Kong to the Supreme Court.
Although no charges are specified, the proceedings relate to smuggling money into Stanley. They deny attempting to cheat the Imperial Japanese Army and plead they saw no harm in trying to alleviate the situation of Bank and other dependants, especially as most of the intended recipients of their aid weree women. They are sentenced to three months in prison, time already served not to count.
E. P. Streatfield testifies:
Grayburn from the start commanded the respect of the prisoners and most of the warders, not only on account of his age, but because of the cheerfulness and dignity with which he bore the unpleasantness of his position.
Sources:
Almost arrested: George Wright-Nooth, Prisoner of the Turnip Heads, 1994, 150-151
MI6: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/stanley_camp/message/1364
Revolver: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/stanley_camp/message/140
Anderson: Statement of W. J. Andserson in Hong Kong Public Records Office, HKRS163-1-104, page 8, point 68
Grayburn et. al.: E. P. Streatfield, Account, page 8 (trial) and page 10 (Grayburn's respect), in Hong Kong Public Records Office, HKMS100-1-6; Frank H. H. King, The History of the Honkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation, Volume 111, 623; Maurice Collis, Wayfoong, 1965, 227
More than 18 months of poor nutrition are taking their toll. One of the most alarming developments is the occurence of eye problems due to B vitamin defiency. The camp's doctors are trying to tackle the problem, and today Dr Kenneth Uttley writes in his diary:
Now that Lane Crawford’s baker Mr Edgar has been interned here, I have set Herklots and him on to the problem along with myself; we have cut down the amount of sugar required and are making more efficient use of the soya bean residue left after making the soya bean milk for the children and invalids. We have at last what appears to be a fairly active yeast and Geoffrey and I dispense it daily at 2pm to the eye cases and certain other B2 deficient cases. Geoffrey and Edgar are busy most of each morning working on the yeast and are thoroughly enjoying themselves. We even entertain the idea of making yeast for the whole camp, but that will have to wait.
Former Secretary to the Health Department J. I. Barnes reports that he was almost blind from vitamin defiency but 'fully recovered' his sight after two doses of yeast - he got the second because he was a 'special worker' and most cases only got one dose. His job was looking after the camp stores - he slept there at night to prevent theft.
The Kempeitai strike-back against the resistance has already smashed much of the BAAG's organisation in town, and the first arrests have been made in Stanley (see June 28). Today the campaign comes to the POW Camps: in the officers' camp at Argyle Street J. R. Haddock of the Hong Kong Naval Reserve and Volunteer M. G. Prata are arrested. At Shamshuipo Flight-Lieutenant 'Dolly' Gray is taken for questioning, and Sergeant Routledge and Flight-Sergeant Hardy follow him soon after.
Sources:
Yeast: Diary of Dr Kenneth Uttley - extract kindly supplied by Philip Cracknell
Barnes: Hong Kong World War 11 and Other Stories, J. I. Barnes, 2005 (Imperial War Museum)
Arrests: Ralph Goodwin, Passport to Eternity, 1956, 39, 123,
Note:
For more on the yeast prophylaxis, see
http://brianedgar.wordpress.com/2012/04/04/thomass-work-4-baking-in-stanley/
Diarist Eric MacNider tells us that 14 bankers arrived in Stanley today, and the same number is given by George Gerrard in his retrospective entry of July 7. R. E. Jones also notes the arrival of the 'rest of the bankers' while outside the borders of Hong Kong the British Army Aid Group will soon learn that most of the bankers have entered Stanley today.
One of their number is Hugo Foy. Like many of the other bankers, he's been active in raising funds for the relief of the internees he's now joining. But something he's done will catch up with him - he will be the only HSBC employee to be arrested while in camp. Why is not known.
Sources:
MacNider: List in the MacNider Papers, attached to the Diary
BAAG: Waichow Intelligence Summary, 11/7/43
Foy: SCMP, September 4, 1946, p. 1
The Kempeitai return to Stanley and there are four more arrests: senior Government official J. A. Fraser, policeman Sergeant F. Roberts, and wireless operators Douglas Waterton and James Anderson.
Fraser is accused of organising radio usage from April 1942 onwards, Waterton, alongside the previously arrested Stanley Rees, of being an operator, listening to news broadcasts and eventually preparing to contact the BAAG. Roberts, it is believed, found a radio in a hut in early 1942 and eventually gave it to the operators.
These charges are substantially correct - although Fraser actually started making preparations for getting a radio into Stanley while he was in the Prince's Building with other Government officials in the first months after the surrender. And there are other people involved in the operation, so this is a very nervous time indeed for a courageous group of internees. One of them will face arrest before the day is out.
During the afternoon Waterton is made to dig a hole at the end of No 18 Block in the Indian Quarters. After two to three hours work, he unearths a grey box with a radio inside. One of the guards is sent to bring out Waterton's room-mate, 'New Moon' Moss. The Japanese know he helped bury the set, but Moss tells them he thought he was helping Waterton bury his family silver to safeguard it against theft. Amazingly, the Kempeitai believe him.
Sources:
Details of charges: Captured Enemy Trial Document, Ride Papers
All else: George Wright-Nooth, Prisoner of the Turnip Heads, 1994, 162-3
Colonel L. A. Newnham, the leader of the resistance in the Argyle Street Camp, is arrested. At Shamshuipo Captain Douglas Ford of the Royal Scots suffers the same fate.
Source:
Ralph Goodwin, Passport to Eternity, 1956, 39, 124.
Commissioner of Police John Pennefather-Evans is taken from church and arrested.
Note:
Pennefather-Evans was accused of receiving illegal messages, but he presumably came up with a convincing story, as he was released without charge.
A notice apears in camp:
The Japanese Camp Authorities informed me to-day that 10 Dutch bankers (2 married couples and 6 single men) will arrive here from town on 16th July probably at 2 p.m.
These 10 persons must be accomodated in the Dutch part of our block and the Camp Authorities have ordered that the billeting and re-billeting in this block are to be affected in accordance with the scheme shown below. ((Missing))
Those of the inhabitants of this block who are required to move, must do so before 6 p.m. on 15th July 1943.
The Camp Authorities further informed me that, if the new accomodations do not offer sufficient space for all, furniture and personal effects, articles which are not strictly needed, should be packed in trunks and stored, If no storage-space is available in the block, same will be arranged for by the Authorities upon application.
STANLEY, 14th July 1943
Note:
This notice is signed by a 'European' whose name I can't make out (presumably the head of the relevant Block) and by 'A. Nakazawa' - or so it seems, but according to Geofrey Emerson his name was Chikanori, a former tailor's assistant (or in another account, shipping clerk), who served as one of the two Camp Superintendents between March 1942 and September 1943. He was a young man, probably in his twenties. He and his fellow Superintendent T. Yamashita, a former barber at the Hong Kong Hotel, were dog lovers who used to walk around camp with beautiful specimens. They seem to have done their best to treat the internees decently.
The last group of bankers and their families arrives in from town today - 17 British, 10 Dutch and 2 Norwegians according to the Red Cross, although George Gerrard's diary gives the British figure as 18.
The British contingent comprises G. A. Leiper and his wife Helen, the McClatchie, Davis and Perry families, H. F. Philips, Richard Olive, A. M. Mack and Mercantile Bank manager Harry Hawkins.
The Belgian bankers - at least three in number - are allowed to remain in town.
Source:
Archives of the International Committee of the Red Cross, list attached to General Letter No. 61/43, 19 July 1943 BG017 07-061
