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4.

As the U. S. Navy and agencies of the Government of the

Commonwealth of the Philippines and her local U. S. agencies

would also be concerned in matters connected with this evacua-

tion, coordination between all Government agencies, including

the Red Cross, was centered in the Office of the U. S. High Com-

missioner. Lt. Col. R. M. Carswell, of the Staff of the U. S.

High Commissioner, was appointed as coordinating officer.

Colonel Carswell also acted on all important matters of coordi-

nation and contact between these agencies and the offices of

His Britannic Majesty's Consul-General in Manila, and with cer-

tain representatives of the Hong Kong Government who were sent

to Manila to assist in the transfer of the evacuees to Australia.

Through the constant and careful attention of Colonel Carswell,

this difficult operation, in dealing with the sudden arrival

of around 3,500 women and children in a crowded city, and their

embarkation for Australia, was handled smoothly, and with a

minimum of discomfort to the Hong Kong visitors. Although the

operation was carried out during the typhoon season, with tor-

rential rains during the first part of the period, and with

hundreds of children under five years of age, there were no

epidemics, no serious illnesses, and no deaths.

The Red Cross, assisted by the U. S. Army, administered the

various services required to meet the needs of 3,350 women and

children at a cost of about 63,984.98. The evacuees began to

arrive on July 3, 1940, and the last group sailed for Australia

on August 8, 1940. Seventeen mothers and 22 children remained

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