TNAG-0590-FCO40-723-Authentication-of-alleged-copy-of-instrument-of-surrender-of-1976 — Page 4

IN

*^.51

T J David Esq

Hong Kong Department

| 27 OCT 1976

MKKD76/2

Foreign and Commonwealth Office

Dear Dawid,

A..

with I copy of this Peter pre 132/10

CABINET OFFICE

Great George Street, London, S.W.1

Telephone:

233 7412

26 October 1976

དངོམས་ཉིན་ སྐལམ་བ

helter to the ne

End Kibble

to

STOLEN INSTRUMENT OF SURRENDER OF HONG KONG

I have been unable to trace the original Instrument of Surrender or a copy of the original and there is no trace of one in the Cabinet Office, Colonial Office (FCO) or War Office (MOD) archives. The Imperial War Museum thought that a copy was held by the Harcourt family, but they were unable to say where this was now located.

The alleged copy is essentially the same as the draft Instrument of Surrender with one or two omissions and additions.

The Official History of the Second World War, "The War Against Japan" vol. V, page 287 states that the official surrender of the Japanese forces in the Colony took place at Government House on the 16th September when Major-General OKADA and Vice-Admiral FUJITA signed for the Japanese... and The Times report confirms this, adding that the Japanese "both put their personal seals below their signatures "

In Colonial Office file 54144/40/5 (CO 129/591), the 'Diary of Events' Commander- in-Chief, Hong Kong to Secretary of the Admiralty, 16th September 1945, records that the Instrument of Surrender was signed on behalf of the Japanese by Vice-Admiral Ruitaro Fujita and Major-General Umeckichi Okada.

I return the alleged copy of the Instrument of Surrender together with, copy of Top Secret (now declassified) telegram 5513 of 4th September 1945, Chiefs of Staff to Admiral Harcourt, draft instrument of surrender (CAB 121/720 folio 227); photocopy of part of page 3 "The Times" Monday September 17th, 1945

In the absence of the original instrument of surrender or a proven copy, it is. impossible to state categorically that the alleged copy is of the authentic instrument but all the available references indicate the likelihood of it being so.

gott. Cheadle

( JWH CHEATLE)

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