Date. 8.12.41.
33.
34.
District.
Water Police.
Time.
08.30
Hong Kong Traf-08.30 fic Office.
35.
Tai Po.
09.00
36.
Hong Kong and Kowloon.
09.00
37.
Tai O.
09.00
4.
8.12.4/
of some Chinese at Customs Pass.
19
A Harbour launch was despatched to Peng. Chau Island to evacuate two lady missionaries.
On instructions from the Controller of Land Trans port requisitioning of vehicles and mobilisation of Auxiliary Transport Service drivers commenced at the Transport Receiving Depot at Caroline Hill Road. Difficulty was experienced during the en- suing days in keeping drivers owing to lack of feeding facilities Vehicles were often abandon- ed: and frequently after deans them the driver abscended A common dumping ground was Wanchai. The drivers of vehicles supplied to Police Sta- tions in accordance with the Internal Security Scheme were in a better position as it was soon arranged for them to get regular meals, but the position of drivers for other departments remain- ed acute until the Traffic Inspector himself was able to supply many of them with issues of raw rice and beans. Twenty four hour shifts of duties were also arranged. Accommodation present ed a difficulty and numbers had to be placed in the Traffic Office and elsewhere in Police Head- quarters.
Drivers were very unreliable under shell fire and sudden alarms, e.g. the .. "Jeannette" explosion caused a number to abscond. Police escorts had to be arranged. On several occasions nearly all police vehicles were handed over to the Military and the latter often used to .stop vehicles not allocated to them at rifle point and commandeer them. European police officers frequently had to go out on foraging and salvaging expeditions for vehicles. Police themselves were using some 300 vehicles. police drivers were unsatisfactory also. supplies sometimes were difficult to obtain and on one day pumps in garages had to be broken open and worked by hand. Approximately 450 lorries and 1000 cars were collected and 2000 drivers registered. (This does not include about 70 lorries which came over from Kowloon during the evacuation those handed over to the Military prior to the outbreak of war, and the number, about 200, which they themselves had under contract, many of which they lost and Police picked up on the streets.) Many depart- ments, besides the Military, often applied to police for additional vehicles subsequent to them receiving their full quota from the Transport Receiving Depot.
>
Indiar
Petrol
New Territories North Police personnel at Tai Po were despatched into Hong Kong except the men manning the road barrier on the Tai Po Road. Police Reserve were mobilised and instructed to report to their various stations at 09.00 hours. Their main duties during the war were Vital Posts Food Control, Transport guards, Food Distribution centres, Communal kitchens, Collection and guard- ing of Japanese women and children, Water Foun- tain duty and general regular duty work in stations. They worked generally under the control of Officers in charge of Stations.
No.1 launch called at Tai O and carried out preliminary evacuation of police families and property. There were no European residents in Tai O district. P.S.A.185 Galvin, the Officer in charge on the Senior Superintendent of Police, Kowloon 's instructions had visited the Missiona
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.