Page 20

Page 20

atanding. King's College is little better. The University has escaped but some damage has been done to the Engineering Schools. St. Joseph's College has been left like a pig-sty. The Colonial Secretary's office records are gone. Hawkers are wrapping their parcels in official and confidential documents from the governaent offices and all certificates of births, deaths and marriages have been scattered round the stresta. Refugee Committees are given rooms in lawyers' offices where the files are open. The Land office is intact, because they use it for extracting taxes.

after the surrender, prices in Hong Kong began to go up gradually, but when the Japanese debesed the dollar they doubled overnight. After this they went up at four times the pace.

Xurray Barracks and the Naval Docks are definitely military

targeta, full of troops and naval landing parties.

When the looting was going on in Hong Kong, the Kowloon wharves were working day and night loading ships to leave Hong Kong. Iron was taken from private godowna in Kowloon. The only place where the Japanese have been noted to work at night on many occasions is in the Navy Yard.

0.3. Air Raid:

The Japanese knew about this in advance for their planes were up from early morning and all heads of departments had been told that a raid was coming. Pehily did not know if Selwyn-Clarke had recalled people. #hen the American planes had come over Jhum Chun about 3 or 4 months ago everyone was warned. Lights went on and all high officials went to the dugouts.

The Japanese have blocked up all the air-raid shelters.

Japanese Governor now lives in the Chartered Bank House immediately above the Canosas Hospital. It is the only white house in the vicinity and stande out from all others very clearly. road has been constructed so that he can go up to it by car and this road is blocked off from the public. The A.P.C. tapank house was firat prepared for the Governor, but after looters killed three Swedes there he decided not to go to it.

Jome

Sasential parts taken from the China Light and Power Co's. plant after the war were thrown into the sea, not destroyed. Chinese showed the Japanese where these were and they were easily recovered.

Japanese fortifications: The Japanese maintain complete control of the island but puppets are in Kowloon. The island is bristling with anti-aircraft guna but exact locations are not known. Some guns, probably Naval, have been put at Aberdeen. There is a direction finder on the top of the Hong Kong Bank. Nothing seen in Robinson Road or Barker Road and no mobile A.A. guna in the streets. The Hong Kong Club is occupied by the Navy, and the Cricket Club is a Japanese Sports Club. Not much shipping in the Harbour and no motor torpedo boata; usually just a few destroyers. The Hurray arade Ground used for training.

At first the Japanese worked a seven day week, but now Sunday is a holiday. Farades have stopped. Kotewell used to head all processions which went tɔ statue ¿quare to shout the Banzai.

Every night it is said that there are drunken Japanese in the Parisian Grill, and fighta occur there regularly.

Commando Raid: It we commonly said in Hong Kong that there had been some sort of a csmaando raid in september. Some said that the guerillas had been in and the Japanese were tipped off by one of these people. Some said that a junk had been to Jham Shui 70, some that a party omme into wire Bay, and it was supposed that the plan was to release the prisoners from Sham Shui Po.

Page 20

Page 20

Page 20Page 21

Share This Page