FOREIGN SECRETARY.
188
This is to confirm all telegrams which have been sent on my behalf, regarding conditions in Hongkong when I left.
I left Hongkong on the 28th Janua ry, at the re uest of the Chinese members of the Tai Lee Organisation, who had been left behind in the Colony. I was asked to go to Chungking with the complete details of the Guerillas, arms and ammu ition which was buried in various houses and gardens on the island, to deliver the information to that organisation and to arrange for instructions to be given to the men rema.ning in the Colony to carry on with their work. My escape from Hongkong was engineered by the Chinese. The whole plan was discussed with Mr. R.A.C. North Secretry for Chinese affairs, and Mr. J.A. Fraser, Defence Secretary, both of whom agreed that I should go.
The conditions in Hongkong when I left the Colony, were extremely bad. With the exception of the following people, all British, American and Dutch nationals had been interned;
Mr. Gimson.
Mr. Alabaster.
Mr. North.
Mr. Rene Lee.
Miss Hirst.
Colonial Secretary.
Secretary for Chinese Affairs.
Attorney General.
Private Secretary to The Governor. Stenographer.
Civilians were interned at the various bungalows, St. Stephens College, Maryknoll Convent and the prison warders quarters on the Stanley Peninsula. The gaol buildings were not being used.
Military prisoners were interned on the mainland at Shanshuipo Barracks, at Argyle Street interment camp and a few at North Point Refugee camp on the island.
Food consisted of two bowls of rice per day with a ve.y little vegetable, and sometimes a little fish. but rarely any meat.
In the military camps dysentery was very soon a serious problem. An American missionary named Broadus died in the camp as a result of starvation. His body was buried in the camp grounds. Two Canadian soldiers died later from dysentery, their bodies also being buried in the grounds of the camp. The latter was told to me by a soldier who had escaped and was in acao, he had been a member of the burial party.
During the thick of the fighting raping of women both Chinese and English, took place at Race Course Emergency Hospital, on the 22nd and 23rd of December, there were about 25 women in all. 'ly own flat is in the same locality, and in that building of six flats, 40 people were bayoneted including my own servants. y amah was also raped three times.
On Xna s Day also during the fighting, similar incidents took place at the Maryknoll hospital at Stanley, where seven English women were killed after having been raped. The majority of the women at this hospital were officers' wives. Two of them are very young girls, and one of these women was taken into the street and raped in public. The names of the killed were trs. H.T. Buxton. Mrs. Begg, Mrs. J.S. Smith, Mrs. E.W.L. Martin. (The other three names, I cannot remember). Dr. Black and the Rev. Martin were killed in trying to protect the women. The story of this wholesale raping wa told to me by Mr. S.D. Begg who was actually at Stanley when it occurred and who afterwards found his wife's body and buried her. The complete details are explained in the extracts from my diary which are attached hereto.
Atrocities to Chinese were also carried out. One whole area in the Wanchai district was turned into a brother district regardless of the women and you g girls who lived there. This was confirmed to me by many Chinese women who came to me and asked for help.
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