6.
and who had certified all Pre-War Officers as being "Fit
for promotion.
Extract from Hong Kong Police General Order
No. 40 of 28th. March, 1947, as at p informed us of who
had been promoted.
Inspector SMITH'S name was not amongst
them.
Action behind the scenes must have taken place after
the issue of General Order No. 40 for in Hong Kong Police
General Order No. 50 of 17th. April 1947 at q I was most
,
----
W
astonished to read that Inspector SMITH had been promoted to
acting Chief Inspector. Rather ironical to say the least
that this self same Officer only a month before was deemed
"unfit to hold the rank".
Reverting to 'p', I have underlined two names, and
to further prove how unjust things are towards the Pre-War
Officers, it was more than a shock to us to find that
J.A. Mc. CAHAY had been prometed to Chief Inspector as from
1/5/46, for him to be so promoted is one of the most grave
injustices ever inflicted on a body of men, for this man is
a former member of the Shanghai Municipal Police and was
recruited at the same time as the Post War United Kingdom
Contingent and most certainly not on the permanent or
pensionable Establishment of the Hong Kong Government.
This man joined the Hong Kong Police around the end of 1945
or the beginning of 1945, never previously having served in
this Force. His promotion dates from 1/5/46 and I can
s wear on oath that not one member of the Promotion Board
returned to Hong Kong from the United Kingdom until July or
August 1946. Utterly impossible for them to know anything
whatever about this man as a policeman much less his fitness
for promotion.
Earlier I made mention of the conduct of the Police
There were those who fell by the
Force while interned.
wayside and were punished by local tribunals set up to maintain
law and order in the Camp.
Their offences were trifling,
and in the main...
8