CO129-590-23 Situation in Hong Kong 25-4-1905 - 25-4-1905 — Page 87

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Messrs. Alfred Holt & Co., 52, Ullet Street, Liverpool, England.

Dear Sirs,

KWEILIN, April 26, 1942.

له

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I beg to report that I was the Wharf Engineer of Holt's Wharf, Kowloon, and that I remained on duty until the Japanese occupation of the premises after the fall of Kowloon. The war started on the morning of December the 8th, 1941, when s.s. "Kiangsu" was alongside No.2 Wharf unloading 2,000 tons of Government rice from Rangoon. We carried on working day and night till the afternoon of the 11th when it was evident that the defence of Kowloon was to be given up. I last saw Captain Henderson on the Wharf around 4 p.m. that day when he and Mr. Sterling hurriedly crossed the harbour on board "Kiangsu" for Hong Kong.

After the British retreated and before the Japanese arrival at Kowloon there was a gap of 20 hours during which looting and robbing were going on all over Kowloon. The premises of Kowloon Wharf and Godown Co. was badly looted but we in Holt's Wharf managed to guard the place well, hoping that the situation would turn to British favour again. Unfortunately the Japanese troops arrived on the morning of the 12th and we had to yield as they entered the premises. they even followed me to my flat searching for 'White Men'. they knew that I was working for a British firm they treated my flat as 'Enemy Property' and I was forced out, losing everything that I had therein.

Afterwards

Since

We lived a terrible life at my friend's place under shelling fire when the battle for Hong Kong was on, which lasted for 15 days. On December the 26th Hong Kong yielded but the British and American civilians were not interned until January 5th/1942. They were first put up in Chinese hotels but later they moved to Stanly camps which were about 20 miles away from the town. The Compradore, Mr. Mok, and myself made several attempts to obtain permit from Japanese Authority for visiting Captain Henderson but without success. I am afraid that the treatment in the camps was not too good. I understand from the British Staff of H.K. & Shanghai Banking Corporation (some were set free to attend to banking) that Mr. Eales, Accountant at Holt's Wharf was unfortunately killed while on duty as A.R.P. Warden in Hong Kong.

I was approached by the Japanese about 3 weeks after their occupation to go back to work at Holt's Wharf as they needed the Engineering Staff for operating the Power House, Lifts and Cranes. I. myself, refused to work pretending that I was too sick but I had to do something for my men as they were practically facing starvation after