CO129-613-8 Reports on Kwang Tung incident 1-2-1948 - 2-6-1948 — Page 56

20.

EVIDENCE OF GEORGE EDWARD WILLERTON

DETECTIVE SUB-INSPECTOR, C.I.D.-SWORN.

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My name is George Edward Willerton and I an a De-

tective Sub-Inspector of the Hong Kong C.I.D., and attach-

ed to the Western Police Station. On the evening of

the 31st January, 1948, I received information that a

fire had occurred on the S.S. "Kwong Tung". I went to

the ship and arrived at about 7.50 P.M. I went on board

the ship and saw several of the passengers moving

baggage on to the wharf and I also saw baggage being

moved to the forward part of the ship. I made enquiries

and found that the seat of the fire was at the foot of

starboard ladder on the main deck. I saw a quantity

of substance at the foot of the ladder which had been

burnt. It was a solid substance. I also collected

some white powder near the seat of the fire. I handed

these samples to the Government Analyst. I sent 31

bodies to the Public Mortuary. 27 were female adults,

2 were Chinese mais male children, 1 female child and

1 male adult. They all appeared to have been drowned.

A total of 33 injured persons were also sent to

the Queen Mary Hospital and Tung Wah Hospitals the majo-

rity of which have now been discharged. Before sending

the bodies to the mortuary I recovered all valuable s

and handea them to Inspector Franklin. I then proceeded

to collect witnesses. The majority of the bodies were

amidships. I suspected looting and stopped all movement

of baggage. At least 25 of the bodies have been

identified.

The foregoing is a true record

of the evidence I have given.

Sa. G E. Willerton.