CO129-590-23 Situation in Hong Kong 25-4-1905 - 25-4-1905 — Page 258

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FE. Section, Ministry of Information.

West China

University Hospital. Chengti, Szechwan.China. February 3rd. 1942.

Lord Moyne

Secretary of State to the Colonies.

Colonial Office.

Downing St.

London S.W.1.

My Lord.

257

I have the honour to report my escape from Hongkong after its capitulation on the night of the 25th. of December 1941 in the following circumstances.

During the last two years my work in the Colony had become increas- ingly political in character. Officially neutral in the Sino-Japanese war, I had nevertheless behind the scenes consistently exerted what influence I possessed towards blocking and hampering the propaganda (and other) activities of the Japanese and the adherents of Wang ching Wei. These efforts had not been without success. On the other hand I worked very closely with Chinese organisations and did all in my power, consistent with the interests of the Colony, to aid them. My visits to Chungking and conversations with Chinese leaders were played up in the local press, being invested with an air of mystery and significance which they did not in fact possess. I had good reason to know that I had been marked down by the Japanese as Pro-Chungking (which I was) and as a centre of under cover anti-Japanese intrigue (which I was not).

For these and other reasons I decided that the risks of attempting to break out of Hongkong after its fall would be preferable to falling into Japanese hands as a supposed secret agent in possession of information which I did not in fact have.

Accordingly, after the siege began, I consulted the Colonial Secretary and the Defence Secretary to ascertain whether there was any official objection to the attempted escape after the cessation of hostilities. Neither of these officers saw any objection in principle and it was agreed that the Colonial Secretary would inform me should the Governor, upon consultation, take exception to the general plan. No more was heard of the matter and I there- fore began my preparations.

My plan was by one means or another to avoid physical capture in the ho hours immediately following the Colony's capitulation and then, under cover of darkness to steal a sampan, cross to the mainland where,marching by

be possible to pass through the night and hiding by day, I hoped it would Japanese positions and reach the guerilla country beyond the borders of the New Territories. Such a march would occupy prehaps a week and I prepared a small pack of food sufficient to last for that period. A working knowledge with a greater chance of the language and of the country endowed the plan of success than it prima facie possessed.