CO129-590-25 Accounts of events leading up to surrender and subsequent treatment of prisoners- etc 23-4-1942 - 28-9-1943 — Page 16

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Unsound strategy: The front line at Junchun, Kowloon, stood up firmly and bravely. As I knew very well the Japanese could hardly break it through with reinforcements. By a timely guiding the Japanese suddenly landed a force at Castle Peak where the pritisn force was utterly inadequate, maning a flank attack an with the aid of their 5th column cut right through the section between the first and second defending lines. being forced into a desperate an isolated position together with the lack of supply, the British forces were compelle to retreat and surrender.

Immediately following the military defeat, all police forces in Knowloon were withdrawn to Hongkong. The entire

owloon was then in the hands of the 5th column.. A state of extreme confusion and terror was consummated. Tutting the three days given by the Japanese into practice, the 5th col- um started a general looting. Other outlaws had also made a ransack. Unless high protection fees were paid, no house was saved. Lany a respectful and well-to-do citizen who had supported the Government in every way prior to the collapse of Hongkong but had been robbed and driven to homeless and destitute had often commented that the Government should not with raw the police forces, for they were civil uards, not combtents, to whom the invaders would do no harm except dis- armament. They further contended that the police forces were maintained and supported by the public an at the period of emergency for which their help was mostly in need they should stand by and protect it.

On account of my work in Hongkong which had been for years known to the Japanese and wanking fuppet's agents, who were also in hongkong, I was once detained by the Jap- anese gendarme out was released after my protests and per- suasons on the condition that I declared my loyalty and sup- port to the new government in builuing a new nongkong under their Fan-sia folicy, for which I advanced a set of new ideas with their hearty approval. I may say that you ritish