+
8
Extract from letter from Joseph Hill to Mr. Pennefather-Evans dated 16th April, 1946.
Referring to the "Q.B." night 18th Dec. 1941
I left my station which was east of Q. B. at about 7.30 p.m. I had to evacuate no water supply, lights and telephone were out of commission, dead bodies and wounded were everwhere and fires breaking out with each new turn of the bombardment, so I made my way to "Q.B." which was then "Q" division H.Q.
After reporting to Inspector O'Conner I waited in the quarters for perhaps an hour, Inspector O'Conner was called to the charge room and on his return he told us that the C.0. of 5/7th Rajputs had asked the police to reinforce his Rajputs because they had been cut-up rather badly in Kowloon. Many of their officers had been killed, and the Japs were then making a landing on the beach west of the sugar refinery.
We turned out in force complete with Indian P.C's with the exception of Sgt. Ross who was already out on patrol with an ordinary duty patrol west of "Q.B" He must have been ambushed on the Kings Road. We did not see him again.
The remainder of the police went into action under Inspector O'Conner and Inspector Post. It was really a hopeless turnout because things had happened so quickly we did not know where the Indian troops were and worse still, many of them being unwarned of our assistance, took us for Japs in the darkness and opened fire on us. We were eventually recalled by a Lt. of the Rajputs and returned temporarily to "Q.B." charge room. The roll call showed that Inspector O'Conner and Inspector Post were missing, Sgt. Porrit badly wounded.
We