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3rd September
21. On 3rd September VENERABLE, who had been maintaining an air patrol over the Colony during daylight hours, landed six Corsair aircraft and entered harbour. Stonecuttera W/T Station was inspected and although the British equipment was of little value, the Japanese installations appeared to be in good condition with plentiful stores. Unfortunately this equipment will be of no practical use to us.
22. By this time the situation on Hong Kong Island was well in hand except for persistent petty looting which kept the patrols busy. The Japanese executioner was discovered in disguiso by the Chinese and was given a short shrift.
23. The Civil Courts were opened on the afternoon of the 3rä September and empowered by proclamation to deal with all offences except those of looting, rioting and impeding the forces which would be dealt with by Military Court.
24.
4th September
On 4th September the EMPRESS OF AUSTRALIA arrived with 3,000 R.A.F. personnel of SHIELD Force and was berthed at Kowloon. 800 men were immediately landed to take over a large portion of the policing duties in Kowloon.
5th September
25. On 5th September I moved ashore to Government Houso with my personal staff and Captain E.G.A. Clifford, R.M., Chies Staff Officer to Rear Admiral Commanding 1st Battle Squadron, whom Admiral Daniel had lent me as Chief of Staff, Captain A.H.T. Fleming, my Chief Staff Officer as Flag Officer Commanding, 11th Aircraft Carrier Squadron, remaincă in INDOMITABLE with A.C. 11's Office Staff to assist B.9. 1 in the administration of the Aircraft Carriers.
By this time the situation in both Hong Kong Island and Kowloon was comparatively quiet, the only trouble being petty looting by Chinese,
26❤
Leyte.
6th September
VENGEANCE and QUIBERON arrived on 6th September from
The Japanese Forces, acting under instructions from me, disarmed themselves, placing their small arms etcetera in dumps and confining themselves within a given area of Kowloon city, It was not possible to place them in camps as British Prisoners of War were still in occupation. It was notable that, although specific instructions were given that all swords were to be turned in labled with the owner's name, not one appeared. The excuse given was that all the swords had been taken by British troops as souvenirs, which, in fact, was not true,
7th September
27
Brigadier D.M. MacDougall and twelve senior Civil Affairs officers arrived on 7th September, having made the journey from Madras in one hop. Mr John Keswick, who is attached to the British Embassy in Chungking and has been Political Liaison Officer in South East Asia Command, also arrived as Political Liaison Officer on my staff.
28.