CO129-590-23 Situation in Hong Kong 25-4-1905 - 25-4-1905 — Page 73

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2 July, 1942.

SECRET.

Deur Field,

I

Re

Many thanks for your note l.I.2./30/42 with the enclosures from the Military Attaché in Chungking. entirely agree with your view about Selwyn-Clarke. is well known in this Office and is an extremely able and active man, purticularly on the health side. Qur iniormation as to conditiona in Hong Kong immediately after the Japanese occupation is sufficient to show that apart from the needs of the wounded, shortage of drugs and medical equipment, there was li serious threat of breakdown of sanitary arrangementu and the consequent prospect of disastrous epidemics. From the start, Seiwyn-Clarke seems to have stirred himself in his professional lin: of business and from our knowledge of him I should say that, unless there should eventually be serious evidence to the contrary, he would not give a thought to the question of whom he wus collaborating with provided only that they were helping to stave off the disaster in prospect and to rebuild the organisation of essential health measures.

Ride has an altogethe. different style of mind according to our information intensely patriotic and devoted to Anglo-Chinese co-operation in opposing and dereating the Japanese in all circumstances and under all conditions. His criticisms, therefore, of Selwyn-Clarke are understandable but should certainly not have a decisive influence on our estimation of Selwyn-Clarke's present activities.

Yours sincerely,

Sgd gƐgGent

BRIGADIER L. P. PIAD.