COPY:
MOST SECRET
CIPHER TELEGRAM.
034648.
Desp. 2145
Recd.0340
20.2.42. 21.2.42.
28
From: Military Attache, China.
To:
The War Office.
rept. C. in C. S.W.Pacific.
G.O.C., Burma.
C. in C., India.
248
23
IMPORTANT:
M.407 cipher 19/2 My M 262
Feb. 4th.
Para.1.
Lt.Col. RI(?C) E arrived here (? 17 Feb).
He is a member of Hong Kong volunteers not R. A. M. C. Major Morley is Lieut. and Davis sub-Lieut.in R.N.V.R.
Two latter now en route Rangoon. Please forward disposal instructions to.G.O.C., Burma.
Para 2 RI(C)E confirms atrocities given in my telegram M 320 of 10th Feb. some of which he personally witnessed. He thinks worst cases occurred where resistance was stiffest. Complete absence of any medical facilities in camp making it impossible to treat or properly isolate many cases of dysentry. Dead have to be buried in corner of Hd. Qrs. Camp. All requests by G.0.C. to interview enemy Commander CURTLY refused.
Para 3. (RI(?C) E showed considerable initiative and resource in making his escape. His effort to persuade a few others to make attempt with him met with no response owing to LETHARGY and generallow morale. This also evident during fighting and was important factor in rapidity of defeat. But in case of R. Scots this largely to high INCIDENCE of malaria before war started. So far as British troops concerned RI?C)E attributed low morale to (a) overlong stay in unhealthy DECADENT and corrupt atmosphere; (b) lack of confidence in local government; (c)unreality of fighting on quote home ground unquote.
Para 4. RI(?C) E states approximate number P.0.W. including all races and services and volunteers in the three camps is 9,300 including nearly 1000 naval ranks. He puts total casualties in fights considerably lower than estimates
of
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