HKC225/1
A.
0 7 FEB 1991
RY
MrS
Dear Mr Janu.
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
1/2
p.a.
London SWIA 2AH
CWGC
31 January 1991
Thank you for your letter of 16 January to Douglas Hura enclosing one from Mr Norman Chambers of Bryn Dwr, Llandegla, Wrexham concerning British Servicemen's graves in China and Hong Kong. I am replying as I have Ministerial responsibility
for the Far East.
Mr Chambers refers to reports that the Chinese authorities have recently desecrated the graves of 23 sailors buried near Shanghai in 1949. We understand that these graves were located in the Hongqiao cemetery in the South-West outskirts of the city. Our Consulate General in Shanghai have confirmed that this cemetery was unfortunately destroyed during the Cultural Revolution in the 1960s. The land was cleared and has long since been built over.
This is most regrettable. We are of course very ready to make enquiries about any persons who were buried in Shanghai if full details can be provided. Mr Chambers may like to know that there is a memorial to those killed during the Yangtse incident in St Nicholas' Church at HMS Drake, Devonport.
Mr Chambers also asks about the protection of war graves in Hong Kong. The graves of Service personnel who fell in the two world wars are maintained by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission. The maintenance of non-world war graves is the responsibility of the Ministry of Defence, discharged by the Hong Kong Government, and monitored by Headquarters British Forces Hong Kong.
In 1984 Mr Richard Luce, then Minister with special responsibility for Hong Kong, gave an undertaking on behalf of the Government to seek proper arrangements for the care and maintenance of war graves in Hong Kong after the transfer of sovereignty in 1997. The exact arrangements that will come into effect to ensure this are under active discussion in Hong Kong and a public announcement will be made before 1997. I can assure you that we will fulfil our responsibilities in this area.
Your sincvely
Ian Rall
M THE EARL OF CAITHNESS
(Approved by the Minister and signed
Martyn Jones Esq MP
House of Commons LONDON SWIA OAA
in his absence)
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