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LAW, ORDER AND RECORDS
persons were arrested in the border area in the last three days of April and although there was no difficulty in returning them at Lo Wu, observations showed very large numbers collecting or waiting an opportunity to gain entry.
During the early part of May the numbers arrested mounted alarmingly. At first the police frontier division was able to deal with the situation, but as the numbers increased divisional re- sources in manpower, transport and equipment had to be rein- forced. Assistance came not only from additional police but also from a number of army units who at various times gave support to the police in controlling the border and patrolling behind it.
During these operations, much understandable public sympathy for the immigrants was evident in Hong Kong and on several occasions trouble was narrowly avoided in villages near the border when crowds attempted to obstruct vehicles returning immigrants to Lo Wu, in order to give them food and clothing or an oppor- tunity to escape from custody. This danger was considerably re- duced when the use of road transport was abandoned and the immigrants were returned to Lo Wu by train.
From 5th May onwards the numbers who succeeded in pene- trating the frontier were so great that a special transit centre was opened at the police training contingent camp at Fanling. There the immigrants were given a meal, interrogated, documented and allowed to rest before being returned across the frontier. On 22nd May a local emergency committee was established to co-ordinate operations on the border. The committee comprised the District Commissioner, New Territories, the Assistant Commissioner of Police, New Territories and Marine, and the Commander 48 Gurkha Infantry Brigade Group.
The influx reached its peak on 23rd May, when 5,620 immigrants were arrested in the frontier area and 5,112 returned to China. On that date it was announced that over 50,000 persons had crossed the border illegally since 1st May. On 26th May the Chinese authorities reinforced normal control measures and the influx ended as suddenly as it had begun. In the course of six weeks over 62,400 persons had been apprehended and returned to China.
As soon as the situation returned to normal British military personnel were withdrawn from active support, and the reception