CO129-590-24 Situation in Hong Kong 25-4-1905 - 25-4-1905 — Page 139

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SWEDISH AMERICAN LINE.

M S GRIPSHOLM

4th August 1942.

Dear Mrs. Humphries,

You have probably heard Marguerite speak of me in Hong Kong. I lived very near to Marguerite and George and now bring news of them. They are both well and escaped the w ar George did a most marvellous

in H.K. without any injuries. piece of transport work through really very dangerous areas. I have heard from many sides what a tower of strength he was. Marguerite did some work cooking for the soldiers and then she was sent to one of the hospitals for greater safety after the capitulation.

We

Very little seems to be known about the events in Hong Kong since the war began, so I will tell you very briefly what happened to us all. Needless to say we were all taken pretty much unawares that Monday morning that the Japs bombed the airport. We all lived fairly near there. were able to stay in Kowloon until Thursday and then those that heard the news were able to evacuate to the Island. George and Marguerite went over that day. As I said George did a marvellous piece of work during the war. Then after we capitulated the men and women and children were put into Chinese hotels, which were nothing better than brothels. It was really pretty awful I guess. Marguerite and I were lucky as we were in places that were considered places of confinement, but George was in one of these horrible places. Then the Japs decided to intern all the European civilian population at Stanley. That is the main prison at the Colony and built out on a peninsula so that it is easily guarded. We were not to be put into the prison but into the warder's quarters, Well there close on to 3000 British American and Dutch. We were sent out in buses, launches, etc. and just thrown at the place. Fortunately there had been a few men sent out in advance to clean up the place. It was in a mess, as one of the bloodiest and worst battles of the war was fought there on Stanley peninsula. Aside from two blocks of flats for the European

/warders