CO129-563-17 Sino-Japanese War- attacks on shipping. For extracted photographs see CN 3-12 27-9-1937 - 17-1-1938 — Page 58

Enclosure No. 5.

58

A. SMITH, ".I.N.

States:-

At about 09.00 hours on the 12th December, 1937, I

arrived at Yung Long Wan and interviewed villagers re the Japanese shelling and seizure of a Chinese Customs Launch at Yung Long

Wan on the 11th December, 1937.

The majority of the witnesses were very vague as to what really did happen, as when the firing commenced, they all ran away to the hills which are roughly 200 to 400 yards away.

The Wing Yeung Company is situated in the centre of

Yung Long Bay between Black Point and Ngau Wan Fu, from point

to point a distance of about 1/2 a mile, with a sandy beach and

facing north-north-west.

The company's premises are built at the back of the

beach about 20 yards from high-water mark and is a 2 story

brick building faced with plaster.

Immediately above the shop entrance and about 3 feet

from the roof there is a distinct round mark where the plaster

is broken away, this is where one piece of shrapnel struck the

building. 12 feet to the left of this and level with the roof

a piece of brick about 4" square was chipped out. This is also

where shrapnel struck it.

Between these two marks and a little

lower down there is a small cut about 2" long and about 12' off

the ground where a piece of shrapnel appears to be embedded in

This was not touched as it may be of use later as

the cement.

an exhibit.

Around the Wing Yeung Company's Store there is a barb

wire fencing and the main entrance is a cement frame with 7 pine

poles about 6" in diameter each, which fit in to form a gate.

One pole had a jagged hole clean through it as if done by a piece

of shrapnel. One piece of barb wire on the left of the gate was

cut through.

All these marks were apparently caused by the one shell which was said to have exploded on the beach in front of

the Wing Yeung Company's premises.