CO129-591-17 Liberation of Hong Kong- instructions to Mr Gimson- proposed civil administrator 10-8-1945 - 21-9-1945 — Page 37

Evening Standard

3.0 AUD 1945

Shanghai reopens as a port

35

HONGKONG: WE Mr. Gimson sends

a message

British Pacific Fleet H.Q. announced this afternoon that a strong British naval force, under command of Rear- admiral Cecil Harcourt in the aircraft carrier Indomitable, entered the port of Hongkong, to occupy Britain's Crown

Colony.

NANKING

CHINA

HANKOW

KIUKIANG

L.Poyang

NANCHANG

ANTON

KIANGSI

HANGCHOW

YIWU

SHANGHAI

TUNGYANG

KINHWA

CHEKIANG

R MID

FOOCHOW

FUKIEN

FORMOSAI

Mr. E. P. Gimson, the former Colonial Secre- tary of Hongkong, released from an internees' camp, said over Hongkong radio that conditions in the city were fairly good. He said he was opening up a British administrative office, and asked for a message of reassurance from the British Government.

[Hongkong was captured by the Japs in December 1941, a seven-day defence by 8000 men ending on Christmas Day.]

Warships at Hongkong, it is officially disclosed, include:

General Wedemeyer at Chung- king.

He added that American mine- Indomitable, Venerabie, Anson sweepers are removing mines in (Rear-admiral C. S. Daniel), the Yangtze and Whangpoo rivers.! Swiftsure, Euryalus and the Mines sown by both the Allies and Canadian ship Prince Robert; the Japanese are being removed Destroyers Kempenfelt, Ursa, all the way up the Yangtze to Whirlwind, Quadrant. Tryian Nanking. and Tuscan ;

Submarine depot ship Maid- stone, Solent, Seascout Sleuth, Scotsman;

SUPPLIES FOR P.O.W.

If sufficient shipping was pro- vided, he said, American troops would be out of China by spring. He added that he would not be present when the Japanese sur- render Nanking, but the United Australian minesweepers States would be represented by Broome, Bathurst. Mildura, Major-general Robert S. McClure, Wagga, Castelmaine, Strahan READY FOR SINGAPORE and Freemantle; and the hospital ship Oxfordshire.

Two units of the British East

The ships are carrying special | Indies Fleet are waiting in the medical supplies for prisoners of Malacca Straits to hear from war and internee civilians, and Singapore that the waters are clear additional naval personnel to take of miñes, New Delhi radio said this over the port and restore it to full afternoon. working order.

A Japanese minesweeper is

The British Navy is sweeping standing by-unarmed and Aying the approaches to Hongkong, and the White Ensign above the the key port of Shanghai is Japanese flag-for the entry of the expected to be opened early in British Fleet, the radio said. October. Ships have been ear- British freed in Shanghai.- marked to go into the port, said PAGE THREE.

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