CO129-591-17 Liberation of Hong Kong- instructions to Mr Gimson- proposed civil administrator 10-8-1945 - 21-9-1945 — Page 19

in Thornley Tosy

Orig on 546 14/44/45 Pasku

SECRET

17

16

OUT

WARNING: This is an unparaphrased version of a secret cypher or confidential code message, and the text must first be paraphrased* if it is essential to communicate it to persons outside British or Allied Government Services.

(*NOTE: Messages shown as having been sent in a One-Time Pad: 'O.T.P." are excepted from this rule.)

TO:

C. in C., Hong Kong.

DATE:

040227A/September

4.9.45.

NAVAL CYPHER (DD)

FROM:

Admiral ty

IMMEDIATE

Following from War Office.

134 Reference your 011529/September.

Having regard to decisions conveyed to you by Chiefs of Staff in Admiralty Message No. 301619, you will appreciate that arrangements indicated in further proclamation in your paragraph 2 are inappropriate and should be corrected as

12 10A

1.

Ja

follows.

2.

Proclamation of British Military Administration issued in accordance with instructions contained in Admiralty Messages 54 130032 as amended by 131957 should stand as the overriding

document.

134

58

3. The further proclamation appointing Gimson, Lieutenant- Governor, etc. is inconsistent with former proclamation and should be withdrawn in its entirety.

4.

Chief Civil Affairs Officer, MacDougall, accompanied by Legal Adviser, Strickland, should be arriving Hong Kong 5th September. He will bring with him drafts of further proclamations designed to create structure of military administration.

5.

6.

This telegram has been agreed with Colonial Office.

You should assure Gimson from Secretary of State for Colonies that all H.M.G. s plans for the initial administration of Hong Kong on liberation have been based on the establishment of military, repeat military, administration, and the decision to maintain their plans in spite of arrangements described in your telegram 0115 29Z implies, of course, no lack of his high appreciation of Gimson's initiative and resourcefulness.

7.

Secretary of State for the Colonies is sending 17 personal message to Gimson in my immediately following

telegram.

040 227A

JEG

1st Lord

1st S.L. (3)

D. F.S.L.

N.A. to D. F.S.L.

V.C.N.S.

A.C.N.S. (F)

Se..

P.A. S. (L P.A.S. (S)

D. of P. (2)

M. (30)

P.A.S. (L)