FO371-46258 — Page 140

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Page 2 of Commander-in-Chief's, Hongkong No. C. in C. Hongkong 5/67/3

of 6th October, 1945.

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The following morning VENERABLE sent a Walrus and returned the envoy to Kai Tak and then returned the Avenger crew to VENERABLE.

5.

Meanwhile I had decided to enter harbour at 1200 the next day, by which time the minesweepers should have been able to sweep a narrow channel clear of moored mines right up to the boom. The Japanese sent several warnings that the Americans had dropped numerous mines from aircraft in these waters, and Commander Craven informed me that no ships of any size had been in or out of Hongkong through the Laimun Pass for some time, so that there was a definite risk of mines. I considered, however, that it was an acceptable risk.

30th August.

The strike

6.

At daybreak on 30th August, a strike of T.B.R. aircraft escorted by fighters was flown off as well as a small CAP. flew over the whole area in close formation, firstly as a demonstration and secondly, ready to take action in case of enemy action. This strike was kept up all day, INDOMITABLE and VENERABLE taking it in turns to fly off. At 1000 I transferred my Flag to SWIFTSURE and in company with KEMPENFELT, EURYALUS, TUSCAN, PRINCE ROBERT and two Submarines, proceeded up harbour at 8 to 10 knots. As soon as we had got through the Laimun Pass without any opposition and without casualties from mines, MAIDSTONE, the remainder of the Submarines and the Minesweepers were called in. When they had safely negotiated the passage, ANSON was called in and INDOMITABLE was told to enter before dark, having flown on all her aircraft.

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7. On arrival, landing parties from SWIFTSURE and EURYALUS were sent ashore under the command of Commander W.L.M. Brown, DSC., RN. of

•SWIFTSURE and seized the Dockyard, clearing it of Japanese and Chinese with negligible opposition. The officers who were there included the Japanese Naval and Military Commanders who asked to have until the following day to clear out of their offices. They were told that they had only given the British officers half-an-hour to clear out with all their belongings, and they themselves were to go at once, but they would be allowed to send back for their belongings.

8. Before entering harbour it was known that there were a large number of suicide boats in the Hongkong area, although the reconnaissance over the harbour had failed to detect any. Shortly before entering harbour a report was received from one of the aircraft that there was anything up to a hundred of these boats in Picnic Bay in Lamma Island. A little later aircraft reported three were heading for the western entrance to Man-o'-War anchorage. The aircraft were ordered to attack and they reported a score of one sunk, one beached and the other returned to harbour. The boats in the harbour were then well bombed and good results observed. Air patrols were maintained over the area until on 2nd September about 260 prisoners were rounded up and brought back to Victoria after all the boats had been destroyed.

9. After we had secured, Mr. Gimson, who had been the Colonial Secretary at the fall of the Colony, and who had taken an Oath of Office and set up as Officer Administering the Government, came on board SWIFTSURE, We had a short conversation about the conditions in the Colony and it was apparent that he had lost no time in setting up the nucleus of a civil administration from the internees. I showed him my orders which I had received telling me to proclaim a Military administration, and how this should be done was briefly discussed.

10.

After that/......

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