206
27th Jan, 1942.
16.
Spent the whole day s ending telegrams to Foreign Office regarding conditions in H.K.
The end of a tragic month. Why was there so much discord. Every department seemed to be working against the other. The lack of coordination between the Military and the Navy and the Government is too obvious,also between the troops themselves and the High Command. The story told by Brian Fay is typical. He was in charge of No. 2 station and holding it against everything. Then he saw the Japs. landing he telephoned to A.R.P. head quarters only to be told it was not their business. He then telephoned to military H.Q. and the sergeant who replied, when told the Japs were landing and to inform his C.0. 8 aid "Incan't wake him up at this time, its 11.0 pm and he's gone to bed, he'll be mad if I wake him up." At the endof the fighting No. 2 had received over 30 direct hits. At one time we had to evacuate but Fay went back and reopened the station. and finally evacuated it at 2.30 Xmas day with no casualties and a few superficial wounds.
Many of the Chinese police reserves discarded their uniforms and their arms. Most of the A.R.P. did the same. Looting became the order of the day and what the Chinese could not take themselves was later taken by the Japs by truck load. When I left HK. orders had been given to take down the statues from Statue Square and the lions from the H.K. bank, they already had large wooden tags around their necks saying "this is the property of the Imperial Japanese Government". I saw quantities of iron gates being brought down from houses on the Peak. It was a common sight every day to see ships going out loaded down to the water line, in convoy. Food stocks have alz. gone. Outside P.G. I sa. four bries taking medical equipment, radio and photography materials from BÌ Shell House where there was a large haul.
The Indian police have been given back their jobs, most of them have gone over, but I still fee a few loyal ones about. They have even been given back their arms. The Chinese have not been armed except with a baton. Out of 1000Chinese only 80 returned to duty, which speaks well of them.
The Indians are being particularly objectionable in searching foreign women, particularly at the ferry points. The Japs are merely passing their hands over the body looking for arms, but the Indian are definitely mauling women. Passes are required to go over to Kowloon and they are good for only one return journey. Those who want to return to Kowloon to live are not allowed to return to the island. Special passes are required for business people or those on special jobs. which are good for ten days only.
The Murray Parade Ground was stacked high with tins of petrol and oil, all collected from the various island dumps which shows that all of it was not destroyed. There are thousands of gallons now lying there. I saw myself truck leads of rifles and ammunition being taken from the C1 ucester. which had been in the hands of the police, why could it not have been dumped into the harbour which after all, is only a stones throw.
I noticed during the Jap parade that there uniforms were torn and ragged but their equipment was of the latest pattern, most modern and uptodate. They were equipped with Winchester rrepeating rifles. How many times have I heard it said " we can lick the Japs with out hands tied behind us" and how many times have I replied, "don't be too sure". I have seen them training and in 1935 and 1936 we had to go through blackouts of a week at a time. not just a few hours. Emergency excises on a grand scale, but nobody takes any notice. They have been underestimated which is now quite obvious and the same will happen in Malaya, because people at the top don't want to be told something which they ought to know and have never taken the trouble to learn. I have tried time and time again to make somebody listen but it was hopeless.