HONGKONG UNDER JAPANESE OCCUPATION by M.M.
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Upon the surrender of Hongkong on the afternoon of ChristmaI Day 1941 the military forces end police were instructed to lay down their arILS. Realization of surrender came as such a shock that men in the army and police force broke down and cried; some men refused at first to hand over their aras. That we should surrender efter having refused peace terms offered twice already was humiliating and unbelievable but it was a relief to the wives and mothers of volunteers who were still alive. The bombing and shelling ceased and Christmas Night wes strengely quiet..
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e. The military forces were rounded up and concentrated at Hurrey Parracks. Those at 3tanley were transferred to North Point Refugee Camp and those at Aberdeen marched into Murray Barracks. Some Indian troops were detained at Government House. The troops in Murray Barracks were then moved to Kowloon and interned at Shamshuipo Parracks. A few weeks later the forces at North Point Refugee Camp were sent to shamshuipo Barracks and the remnantɛ of the Canadian forces transferred to North Point. These men eyed ferry passengers' canned goods hungrily during the transfer. The troops who had been captured on the island before the surrender had been sent to internment in Argyle Street camp (Kowloon), formerly the interne camp for Chinese soldiers. After a further reshuffling the Indian troops are now quartered in their own barracks on Chatham Road (Kowloon), some remaining in Argyle Street and here also are included convalescent members of the British forces with doctors from the Kowloon Hospital. The wounded are being cared for, at Bowen Road Military Hospital until they are well enough to be sent to interaent.
3. Members of the Folice Reserve received ten dollars each end were disbanded. If they desired they were permitted to Join the regular police force which was taken ov r under Japanese control. Europeans however were excluded. The police are now learning, the goose step.
4.
For a period of ten days after the surrender the civilian population was free to move acout. On the night of 4th January a notice was issued and pested up in the streete requesting all enemy nationale to report to Murray Parade Ground the following day carrying their personal belongings and making their own arrangements regarding property. Chinese and Indians were exempt. Peak residents evad¤ ₫ this order. They formed a committee under the leadership of Sir, Athol Macgregor and were temporarily permitted to remain on the eak. $ the civilians reported at Murray Farade around they were marched in foure to various Chinese hotels in the Central District to be. intemed Among these were the Stug Koel just off queen's Road, the Tai Koon, Ham Ping, Mee Chow and New Asia Hotels in Des Voeux road. Cubicle, rooms were allotted as follows four persons to occupy a room with ône bed and six persons to occupy a room with one bed and one blackwood settee. ach room contained & wash basin with running cold water but there was no light.
5. Mimeographed notices were pasted up on each floor informing the internees that they were to be separated into camps for American nales, American females, lutch males, Dutch females, British males and British females and treatment would be subject to that received by Nipponese internees "in gentleman like fashion". Further, internees would be issued with kutty flour, a small amount of sugar and salt and firewood per day. These rations would have to be paid for each week. Other market commodities would be at the expense of the internees. Children would be allowed additional necessary articles of food. Internees requiring hospital care would be sent to government hospitals at their own expense. Interees without fund- would receive advances and settlement would be made when the be opened or after the war. The internees were to co-operate. camp was to be headed by a consular official but...the Br** camp was to be heeded by the Governor and the Female
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hod for Chinese Affairs. -
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