Date.
District. Time.
8.12.41
56.
Tai Po.
11.00
57.
Kowloon.
58.
Special Branch.
59.
Tai O.
60.
Cheung Chau.
12.00
12.00
13.00
19-30
13.00
7.
8.12.4l
22
Hong Kong sent out mobile patrols as often as their duties and many emergency calls would permit from the 8th onwards but mention of these has not been included in the diary.
Assistant Superintendent of Police, New Territories, evacuated Tai Po with the road barrier men on instruc- tions from Lt. Col. Kidd of the Punjabes and after the blowing of the Lam Tsun demolition charges had taken place.
Kowloon Vital Posts were brought up to full strength. (They had all been partially manned prior to the out- break of war). Round up of aliens in Kowloon was com- pleted.
Special Branch and Criminal Investigation Department Officers completed arrest of about 25 enemy aliens of special importance and conveyed them to Stanley In- ternment Camp.
Senior Superintendent of Police, Kowloon, consulted th C.R. A. who agreed that Tai O should be finally evacua- ted. Officer in charge Tai O ordered to evacuate by Station motor boat and rowing boat as No.1 Launch was still engaged at Cheung Chau and the launch could not in any case get through Chu Lo Kok Channel and would have had to go right round the south side of Lan Tau. No.1 Cruising Launch later proceeded towards Chu Lo Kok and picked up the party near Yam O at about 18.00 hours and brought them back to Tsim Sha Tsui, arriving at 19.30 hours. Tai O personnel proceeded to Hong Kong.
Police families and pro-
Final evacuation took place. party were evacuated from Cheung Chau by Nos.1 and 3 Cruising launches. All European residents, about 6, had previously been warned to evacuate by typewritten notices (dictated by telephone to Officer in charge b Senior Superintendent of Police Kowloon the previous day). Miss Potter and her brother-in-law, a Mr. Mac- Kenzie, refused to go, others were brought into Hong Kong by No.1 Launch which left half an hour after No3 having carried out preliminary evacuation of Tai O first. Fifty civilians were taken on board No.3, comprising Chinese Fire Brigade members, station servants and Mission workers, and also 2 Fire engines Both launches were dive bombed and machine gunned by Japanese planes. No.1 Launch in West Lamma Channel and No.3 Launch off Un Kok Lamma Island, without
Police person effect. Fire was returned by police. nel proceeded over to Hong Kong.
This Vital Post was reinforced by Lance Sergeant A. 154 Harris in charge and 6 Indian Police Constables. Police remained on the island until 13th December, when they were taken off by H. M. S. "Thracian" and landed at Aberdeen. Heavy shelling of the island accompanied by spasmodic air raids took place throug
On one occasion 5 out the period Police remained. bombs were dropped in a string in an attempt to blow up the magazines without result although one landed within 100 yards of the depot.
Mr. Wright Nooth, Assistant Superintendent of Polic transferred office to Upper Levels.
Japanese aircraft bombed forts and batteries in Division.
On this day and for the following ten days until the Japanese landed, the following premises were selected as chief targets for bombs and shelling:-
Asiatic Petroleum Company tanks, Gun emplacement overlooking Kings Road at rear of the Power
ol.
Green Island.
13.00
62.
Upper Levels.
63.
Western.
64.
Bay View.
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