CO129-579-9 Sino-Japanese War- release of interned Chinese soldiers 27-1-1939 - 7-12-1939 — Page 34

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reluctantly decided (on grounds both

of policy and humanity) that in the

circumstances the only possible course

to adopt was for the men to be detained

under guard in an internment camp for

the duration of the present hostilities

at the expense of the Hong Kong

Government.

Although orders about escaping,

and a warning as to the consequences of

any such attempt, had been communicated

to the prisoners, it is true that there

have been two cases in which the guard

had to use force to prevent the escape of

internees from the Ma Tau Chung Camp.

cases to which your comspondent refps)

The first of these occurred on January

the 2nd, when three of the prisoners

approached the wire encircling the camp.

Two of them threw stones at the sentry

whilst the third tried to escape by

crawling under the wire. The sentry

shouted to him, but he took no notice,

and