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60
It ran straight from the sea and in the distance I could
see the daylight from the opening.
From where the nullah enters the Camp at a spot a few
feet South of the Main Gate is the first manhole.
It then continues on for about 50 yards in a direct
westerly direction, where the second manhole is seen, this
being the manhole situated between the huts and used by the
escapees. Another few yards West is the other and last manhole
in the Campgrounds (the one in the open in view of the Military quarters).
From this spot the nullah takes a right curve and goes on probably to Argyle Street.
I could walk upright in the nullah and so it was quite easy for a number of men to get into it and escape at one time.
I found an assortment of articles, such as old socks, shoes and coats, which proved beyond doubt the manner of escape.
Returning to the hut where the prisoners were I again questioned them as to the manner of escape and the time, they then all aditted that they had escaped the previous evening about 19.00 hrs. by going down the manhole and into the nullah.
The Military Authorities later that morning, suggested that these manholes should be secured or covered over immediately, this matter being arranged through Assistant Superintendent of Police, Kowloon, and that same day Public Works Department came and covered all the manholes with 5 or 6" of cement.
The prisoners we had refused to devulge the number of men who had escaped with them, but rumours got around that hundreds had got away.
At 14.30 hrs. that afternoon, every man in Camp was paraded on the West ground near the Military Section.
They were told that no man would get any more food until his name had been checked and mess ticket chopped.
Every man's name was called out from the last list of
checking in my possession, and out of my previous total of 905