CO129-590-25 Accounts of events leading up to surrender and subsequent treatment of prisoners- etc 23-4-1942 - 28-9-1943 — Page 2

I Remite by Maj

Preston

of 19/4 д

2

2

W.M. Marwangall

23.4.42.

At Commander Barry's (N.I.D.4.) suggestion,

two R.N.R. officers who were taken prisoner at Hong Kong, Lieutenant Douglas and Lieutenant Hearst, called this afternoon and had a talk with Mr. Sidebotham, Mr. MacDougall, and myself.

We had recently had an enquiry from, I think, either the War Office or M.E.W. as to what information we had regarding the denial to the Japanese of plants. and materials useful to them at Hong Kong.

The paper was not available at the time, but Mr. Farmer located and brought up to me this file with Major Reynolds' request to Major Preston, and some of the information they gave us may now enable us to send Major Reynolds a reply.

(a) Dockyards. The Taikoo dock was almost certainly not destroyed as the lighter which was bringing the material for demolitions was unfortunately blown up by gunfire from our own side, its identity being mistaken.

Kowloon dock. A certain amount of demolition was carried out, but the large crane was left intact, the charge failing to explode. Riveting was heard going on in this dock on the 23rd January, and one Japanese tanker which had suffered damage in a minefield was docked there on the same date.

(b)

Go-downs, etc. Kowloon go-downs and Holts wharf go-downs were left intact with the exception of one in Kowloon.

(၁)

Piers. The Japanese were said to be using the western piers on the Kowloon side of the harbour immediately after the capture of Hong Kong.

(a) Shipping. All merchant steamers were scuttled except one old Chinese steamer. But a newly launched "Empire" boat was left intact alongside Kowloon docks. Other ships under construction, including minesweepers, were also left.

↑

(e) Radio. The Hong Kong radio station was demolished. Of the Stonecutters wireless station, only one mast was left standing.

(f) Electricity supply. The big arc lights im Kowloon were working very soon after the surrender on the island. The ordinary water supply was available in Kowloon immediately after the surrender, but the supply on the island had been interrupted. This I gathered was due to the destruction of mains by shelling and bombing, and water was being brought over daily by boat from Kowloon.

(Wesht quote the

source to Mayn

Reynolds.

25.5.42.