CO129-591-5 Report on activities of Post Office- Engineering Branch during Battle of Hong Kong 24-12-1943 - 26-2-1944 — Page 13

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2. When the Peak Station was evacuated, receiving stations were set up in a French missionary Building near town working from the electricity supply mains and also in case of failure of supply in the basement of the Gloucester Building working from batteries. Transmission lines were run through the trees. In less than one day Mr. Rees had these stations working and handling their proper traffic. In particular, no retransmission of Daventry news was missed. The missionary building station continued in use until the public supply failed, and the Gloucester basement until the occupation.

X. RADIO OFFICE, G.P.0.

December 10th. Reception and remote control of trans- mitters for marine and meteorological services taken over from the Observatory station upon its evacuation. December 11th. Reception and remote control of trans- mitters for commercial services taken over from Cable and Wireless Ltd. upon the evacuation or their office. December 16th. Additional receivers installed on the evacuation or the Peak receiving station.

December 19th. G.P.0. building evacuated on instructions from the Postmaster General. To final office in basement of Gloucester Building.

XI. WATER POLICE AND HARBOUR

Radio equipment at the Water Folice stations at Talo and Tsim Tsa Shui, on the lighthouses of Gap Rock and Waglan, and on three cruising police launches, was destroyed.

XII. LICENSING AND INSPECTION SECTION

The normal work of this section came to an end at the outbreak of hostilities. The staff however were kept fully occupied in obtaining food for the staff and in assisting wherever necessary.

XIII. HOSPITALS

XIV.

Xray, electro-medical apparatus and radio-relay equip- ment at the hospitals was maintained up to the time of the occupation.

WORKSHOPS

The workshops and test rooms early came under such heavy shell fire they were near an ordnance depot) that continuous work was impossible. An emergency workshop was therefore set up in a nearby air raid tunnel and remained in use until the occupation.

/XV. GENERAL

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