FO371-35812 — Page 26

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22

(COPY)

C.E. Nielsen, Esq.,

c/o B.A.A.G. Headquarters, Kweilin, Kwangsi. Jan. 22nd, 1943. General Manager of the Great Northern Telegraph Co. Ltd.

of Denmark,

St. Helen's Place, Bishopsgate, London, E.C.3.

'sir,

It must have caused you great surprise to receive the telegram despatched on my behalf by H...G's. Consul-General here, Mr.H.D.Bryan, on the 11th instant asking for remittance of £300.0.0 to him for me. The circumstances which have compelled me to make this unusual request are as follows:

On Sunday the oth of December, last, I and 2 Danish friends of mine left Hongkong for the New Territories on the Kowloon Peninsula intending to spend the day there and return to Hongkong at night.

-

We were, however, effectively prevented by certain happenings beyond our control - from returning toJapanese occupied territory and were brought from one place to another and finally arrived at Advance Headquarters of The B.A.A.G. where we were taken good care of until we were supplied with funds and proceeded here to Kweilin.

I have, through the good offices of the B.A.A.G.been enabled to send word, by Chinese messenger, to Mr. B.C. Traerup, at present in charge of the Company's affairs at Hongkong, of my safe arrival here as wellas requesting him to see that possibly outstanding accounts as well as hospital fees c. for my wife, who is an invalid, are paid. The Company recently revised our allowances on account of higa cost of living at Hognkong, and I have ample funds due to me from the Company to pay all expenses in connection with Mrs A's illness for a long time to come.

Now that I again find myself in Allied territory there is, of course no possibility of returning to Hongkong, and I have, therefore, been thinking over what I should do to be as useful as possible. November, 1941, the General Manager at Shanghai instructed the Hongkong

During station (r. 2.C. Traerup in charge during dr.F.V. Jensen's prolonged illness, I and Mr. J.G. Jensen doing the technical part of the daily work) to let one man join the cablesteamer "Store Nordiake" as assisting technician during the local leaves of Messrs. N.P. Petersen and C.N. Poulsen.

The war intervened, and the C/S "Store Nordiake" left hurriedly for Singapore on December 2nd, 1941. The last time I had news of her she had called at Karachi and, I believe, she may still be somewhere in theArabian Sea.

I

It has been proposed that my 2 Danish friends here should proceed to India (they are both shipping men from Hongkong), and it has struck me as being the best solution if I accompany them to India with the object of eventually acting as assisting electrician on the "Store Nordiake", may mention that during my employment in the Secretariat at Shanghai about 18-20 years ago I several times went out with both ships as relief electrician, and the instructions from the General anager, Shanghai, referred, I think, to me as r. Traerup was in charge of the Hongkong office at the time, and Mr. J.G.Jensen has neither been employed on Gutzlaff testing station nor been assisting on the cablesteamers. Taking everything into consideration I believe I could under present circumstances do more useful work assisting on the cablesteamers than anywhere else. Perhaps a letter from you to Messrs. Cable & Wireless, Ltd., London, would have the effect of avoiding los3 of timein India after my arrival there, and I would be extremely grateful if such action could be taken.

We were asked on arrival here to write a personal report on condition in Hongkong, and I have mich pleasure in forwarding a copy of the part of my report concerning the G.N. Tel. Co. a. I was specially requested to give as much information as possible on the understanding that my repor would be treated strictly confidentially. If you are desirous of further information I shall, of course, be glad to firmish sich to the best of my ability.

I hope it can be arranged that I will be employed on one of the cableships so I may perform some useful work again. If this cannot be arranged I would be grateful for instructions being issued to Messrs. Ø Cable & Wireless' India offices to furnish me with funds sufficient for living decently there. I may mention that I have been due for 6 months' home leave since the 1st of November, 1939, and another 6 months' leave are due to me per ist of November, next, so I trust there will be no difficulty as regards funds even if I do not get employment on board the cableships. I shall, of course, in such case do my best to get some other kind of work to perform useful to the Allied cause.

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