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G.F. 323
CONFIDENTIAL
C.
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number of bombs but this did not persist. The highest number of casualties were caused on the evening of Sunday, 3rd September when a Fire Services Officer was killed and 12 other persons, including a Police Inspector, were injured in one incident on Hong Kong Island; three were injured in a further incident nearby, and a further ten in Kowloon.
14.
Up to 25th September, five persons had been killed by bombs and 168 injured. The fatal casualties include Sgt. Workman R. A. O. C., killed whilst attempting to dismantle a booby trapped flag on Lion Rock Hill on 28th August; an Assistant Station Officer of the Fire Services killed on 3rd September; two small children and one Chinese civilian. Amongst the injured are a number of police officers and six members of bomb disposal teams. One suspected bomb-planter was shot dead, one was killed (Jockey Club cook, 20th September); and seven injured when bombs they were carrying exploded.
GOVERNMENT RESPONSE TO THE BOMB CAMPAIGN,
15.
The aim of the security forces has been to deal with these bombs as they occur and to minimize their effect on the life of the community.
16.
As a result of the raids on explosives stores on 15th and 19th August (para 10 above), Government on 19th-22nd August withdrew all stocks of explosives totalling some 20 tons to the government depot at Green Island. It is being reissued in small quantities under strict security guard. On 8th September following the promulgation of the Emergency (Firework) Regulations, a similar operation was mounted to collect all stocks of fireworks in private hands. About 150 tons of fireworks were collected or handed in during this operation. These have been dumped in the sea. In a series of searches and raids police have since found quantities of firework material and 284 sticks of explosives. None of the latter came from the raided explosive stores however.
Bomb Disposal.
17.
Bomb disposal teams were quickly set up. Initially the Police Ballistics Officer investigated all suspected bombs, but as the number increased Army bomb disposal teams were brought into action starting on 28th July. Five such teams including naval personnel are now working in twelve hour shifts on either side of the harbour. On receipt of a report of a suspected bomb, a police party is first despatched to the scene to cordon off the area and the bomb disposal team is then sent out. The maximum protection is given to these teams while they carry out this work.
18.
Reports on bombs are compiled by the district Pol/Mils and collected by a Bomb Disposal Control at Colony Pol/Mil who produce a weekly report. This information is also passed to a special CID/SB team who are responsible for tracking down criminals.
19.
A considerable amount of information, much of it anonymous, has been received by the Police about bomb factories and bomb workers. However, the bulk of this information has been too vague and inaccurate to be of any value; in some cases it has been clearly malicious.
The
CONFIDENTIAL
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