FO371-35812 — Page 31

MACAU.

12th December, 1942.

The Secretary,

Oriental Telephone & Electric Co., Ltd.,

LONDON,

ENGLAND.

کیہ

26

Dear Sir,

The aim of this report is to give you news: firstly, of

secondly, Hong Kong and the Hong Kong Telephone Company's staff; of the existing state of the Plant; thridly, of my proposals relative to the restoration of adequate communications when we re-occupy the Colony; and fourtly, the materials required in connection therewith.

Our Managing Director, Mr. J.P. Sherry, and the staff went into a Military Interment Camp on the 2nd Jebruary 1942.

I was granted liberty of movement about the 24th March 1942, such freedom having undoubtedly been given in view of the fact that I occupied the position of Honorary Vice-Consul for Spain in Hong Kong. Up to that time I was virtually a prisoner, being confined to the 2nd floor of Exchange Building.

When passing outside the Military Interment Camp, I have seen members of the Staff from a distance but I have found it absolutely impossible to communicate with them. The wives of members of the staff were sent to Stanley Civilian Interment Camp. I arranged to send parcels in to Miss Sherry recently, and just before I left Hong Kong she sent me a message to say she was well. Mr. L.D. Skinher and my wife's brother

I Mr. Ernest Paterson have not been able to trace since the war. They are not in any camp.

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Reliable information gathered whilst I was in Hong Kong indicates that the Japanese authorities regard with considerable misgiving the presence, in Kowloon, of such a large force of. Military prisoners. I have every reason to believe that they are particular anxious to transfer them to Japan, but apparently scarcity of shipping prevents the execution of the plan. I bring this fact to your attention, as I amy eventually be the only engineer of the Company's staff who is in the immediate vicinity of the Colony at the time of re-occupation.

All members of the Telephone Company's staff were attached as a Unit, to the Hong Kong Volunteer Defence Corps and, except for the Management and Heads of Departments, who were in comparative safety except for a direct hit, the remainder of the staff were under constant fire during the whole period of the fighting. On the morning of capitulation, Col. Levitt, the 0.0. in charge of Signals, stated to us all: 'I cannot thank you enough for all you have done the wer could not have been carried on for more than four days without your valuable assistance'. This was undoubtedly exaggerated praise but was nice recognition of the part we played

and

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