CO129-590-22 Situation in enemy occupied Hong Kong 19-1-1943 - 20-11-1943 — Page 137

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It has occurred to me that I ought to give what information I am in possession of with regard to the Cable & Wireless Hongkong Staff, now interned in the Civilian Internment Camp on Stanley Peninsula, Hongkong Island. The entire British staff of the Hongkong office, with the exception of the Construction Engineer, Mr. H.L.N. Ascough, were brought to the internment camp with practically everybody else of British (American and Dutch) nationality about the 5th of January, 1942.

The

panese authorities evidently hoped that Mr. Ascough could be useful to them and, therefore, kept him and Mrs. Ascough at the Hongkong Telephone Co.'s offices at Exchange Building, Des Voeux Road, for several weeks after the surrender. When they finally gave up trying to get information or assistance from Mr. Ascough he and his wife were interned.

About 4-5 months ago the Japanese enquired for some Australians whom they wanted to go to Shanghai from where it was the intention to have them broadcast to Australia about conditions under Japanese rule. The Japanese finally compelled Mr. & Mrs. Murdoch to go to Shanghai, and they passed through Hongkong about the end of September last. (I believe Mr. Murdoch was President of the Australia & New Zealand Association at Hongkong just before the war broke out).

The assistant Manager, Mr. F.J.R. Glass, was not well a few months ago, and the Deputy Engineer, Mr. Simmons (arrived in Hongkong from Athens a couple of months before the outbreak of war) was brought up to St. Paul's Hospital in town for an Xray examination, but he returned almost immediate- ly to Stanley. I believe Mr. Simmons told me that Mrs. Simmons and their child (children?) are living at Durban, South Africa. Mr. Oatway (?) who came out from England to work in the Censor's department during the war, had been in St. Paul's Hospital for over a month by the end of November last. He told me when I saw him out there that he was suffering fromcancer on the tongue, but he was very much improved when I saw him last time (end of November) and expected to have to return to Stanley soon. Apart from these cases I have not heard of any illness amongst the Cable & Wireless staff.

I have personally read postcards sent by Mr. J.S. Jenkins and Mr. H.L.N. Ascough during October and November last, when everybody of the C.& W. staff at Stanley was reported well.

Our former Manager at Hongkong, Mr. F.V. Jensen (who himself was far from being well and therefore stayed at St. Paul's Hospital from March, 1942, until his retirement and subsequent departure for Shanghai in October last) has been sending parcels of food and tobacco &c. to Mr. Jenkins several times. I myself and Mr. J.G. Jensen have also sent the C. & W. staff some parcels during the latter part of 1942, when the G.N. Tel. Co. finally succeeded in obtaining sufficient funds to pay us salaries &c. Furthermore, I happen to know that Mr. Silva (formerly of C. & W. and lately employed in the Censor's office and Mr. J.W. Leonard have been sending parcels to the C. & W. foreign staff at Stanley as long as they could afford to do so.

During the later months (in August and some time before Christmas) everybody in the Internment Camp received their share of the tinned foods and comforts brought to Hongkong by the evacuation ship, Kamakura Maru, via Lourenco Marques from U.K.

I have been told that the food at Stanley has improved considerably both as regards quality and quantity during the last few months. The Representative of the International Red Cross in Hongkong, Mr. Zindel, told me recently that, in his opinion, there was really no reason for complaint as regards the food provided now.

The C. & W. staff interned at Stanley include the following:-

Mr. J.S. Jenkins

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F.J.R. Class

H.L.N. Ascough

Simmons

H.W. Johns ton

C.M. Newman

S. Maunder

Manager.

Assistant Manager.

Constr. Engineer (and Mrs A) Engineer (arrived from Athens)

/Mr. Murdoch.