196
combination of the safe after RFEVES left, was absent right from the hostilities to the surrender of Hong Kong and did not show up until the Japs had taken charge of the city. Then he came back and sneaked into the office to open the safe and took away the gold coins which he said you had entrusted to his care. He also took away all the papers a whole stack of them which he said were your Insurance papers....There was also H.K.S/ 100 which he said was Imprest Cash which he shared with me as we were both broke. From what he told ne nis father's house was looted and the whole family including Louis was later evacuated by the Portuguese Consul to Macao where they were under the support of the Portuguese Govt. along with other Portuguese evacuees from Hong Kong,"
(N) Letter from KU LAN SUN, Anderson, Meyer & Co,,Chungking, dated 30.4.42.
"I left Hong Kong on the 10th March and arrived in Kweilin on the 26th.....It is very regrettable that the H.K.cffice, showroom and godown attached to the office have been entirely looted, even the safes, desks etc., have been removed away. During the fighting in H.K. Mr FORBES gave one office key to MONTALTO (Service and Shipping man) and the other was kept by Mr FORBES. I was informed that the refrigerators and the electrical apparatus in the show room and also the materials as K & E, lamps etc., in the godown were taken away through the arrangement made by MONTALTO with the Japanese. The Cashier CHEN took H.K..3000 from office safe and later on he merely said that the money was loted but without sufficient explana- tion. I find that the characters of both MONTALTO and CHEN are very suspicious in the Company's service.
The H.K. office staff only received December salaries but due to the lack of five and ten dollar notes, they only receive about half. Before FORBES was interned he signed cheques as advanced salaries for Jan. and Feb. but these were rejected by the Japanese who control the H.K. and Shanghai Eark. I tried hard to locate FORES immediately after fall of H.K. out all in vain, therefore I did not know what I should do for our office. After being interned, it was absolutely possible to visit him.
I intend to wait in H.K. for the proper liquidation of H.K.office as the British did for the Cerman firms when war broke outbut nothing being done. I found everything has gone, no use for me to stay there any longer....Mr HALE came to my room in Coucester Hotel on 22nd Dec. in full fighting equipment
.Sometime in February I learned from H.K. newspapers a list of wounded volunteers including one Mr HALE. But I had no way to ascertain if he is our Mr HALE. Later one foreign friend who ran away from the concentration camp told me that Mr HALE was alright but interned. When the fighting was on I met Mir BARNES OF Innes and Riddle who also sheltered in the Gloucester Hotel and I believe he is interned. I also met Mr OWEN of Parke Davies and Mr DOWN of Johnson and Johnson on the street just before they were interned.'
#1
ENGLISH GIRL FREE AND NURSING IN HOSPITAL,
(0) Letter No."E" quoted above states:- "JOAN CHALLINOR was not interned but was helping to nurse at the Military Hospital." NOTE: This is the hospital in Bowen Road.
THE SURRENDER TOOK MEN IN ISOLATED PLACES BY SURPRISE.
(P) Letter from Father RAPHAEL, C.P., Catholic Mission, Supu, Hunan, to the Very Rev.FATHER PROVINCIAL, Union City, New Jersey, U.S.A. dated 6.4.42.
This is a report to the Head of the Mission and though nc actual source is quoted appears tɔ be reliable. I think the order is Passionists.
"The Fathers at Maryknoll House at Stanley were taken by
1
i
:
172A/4
1420/10