fco-21-493-detention-of-british-journalist-norman-barrymaine — Page 2

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1?IMEDIATE HONG KONG TO FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE

inde

42)

TELEGRAM NUMBER 830

CONFIDENTIAL

18 OCTOBER 1969

FEC 134/2

YOUR TELEGRAM 710: TRAVEL PLANS OF GORDONS, BARRYMAINE AND WILL.

THE GORDONS ARE NOW STAYING IN THE HILTON HOTEL, TELEPHONE

HONG KONG 233111, UNDER THE NAME OF HARRISON. THEY HAVE MADE

A CONTRACT WITH THE DAILY TELEGRAPH AND ARE SPENDING FEW

MORE DAYS IN HONG KONG TO GIVE THEIR STORY TO FRANK ROBERTSON,

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH CORRESPONDENT. THEY TALK OF LEAVING HERE

ON 22 OR 23 OCTOBER BUT IT IS POSSIBLE THEIR DEPARTURE WILL

BE DELAYED ONCE MORE.

2.

BARRYMAINE IS, IN A PRIVATE ROOM AT QUEEN MARY HOSPITAL,

TELEPHONE HONG KONG 468121 EXTENSION 484. HE WILL UNDERGO AN

INTERNAL EXAMINATION IN A FEW DAYS TIME, AFTER WHICH A DECISION

WILL BE TAKEN ON WHETHER OR NOT HE NEEDS AN OPERATION. IT

SEEMS LIKELY THAT IN ANY CASE HE WILL STAY ANOTHER TWO WEEKS

IN HONG KONG AFTER HE LEAVES HOSPITAL WITH A FRIEND HERE,

MR. MICHAEL PAGE.

3. DETAILS OF WILL LATER.

Sec

1137

on Fac 24/3

SIR H. NORMAN WALKER

FILES

F.E.D.

H.K. DEPT.

CONSULAR DEPT. NEWS DEPT.

HR. WILFORD

RESIDENT CLERK

FFFFF

ADVANCE COPIES SENT

CONFIDENTIAL

"

If I

+

EN CLAIR

HỒNG KÔNG

TO

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE

TELNO 821

14 OCTOBER 1969

UNCLASSIFIED

RL

RED IN

REGISTRYNo. 50

15 OCT 1969

FEC 134/2

BARRYMAINE HAS ASKED US TO PASS THE FOLLOWING MESSAGE TO YOU.

BEGINS:

TOP COPY

YOU WILL BE INTERESTED TO KNOW THAT I MADE ONE REQUEST TO SEE THE
CONSUL, BUT NOT UNTIL A FEW MONTHS AFTER MY ARREST AS I REALISED THAT TO
SEEK AN INTERVIEW EARLIER WOULD BE QUITE FUTILE. TO THIS REQUEST THERE
WAS QUOTE A NEGATIVE RESPONSE UNQUOTE IN PLAIN LANGUAGE, SILENCE.
HOWEVER, I WAS QUITE CONFIDENT THAT ALL MY FRIENDS IN THE FOREIGN OFFICE
WOULD BE DOING ALL THEY COULD TO SECURE MY RELEASE. I AM MOST DEEPLY
APPRECIATIVE FOR ALL YOU DID FOR ME, ESPECIALLY KEEPING IN TOUCH WITH MY
DAUGHTER, ANN.

ENDS.

SIR H. NORMAN-WALKER

DEPARTMENTAL DISTRIBUTION

F.E.O.

H.K.D.

CONSULAR DEPT.

NEWS DEPT.

NNNNN

39

RECEIV D IN

REGISTRY N.30

140CT 1969

CYPHER/CAT A

TEC 130/2

IMMEDIATE HONG KONG

ILEGRAM NUMBER 812

CONFIDENTIAL

140

TO FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE

13 OCTOBER 1969

CONFIDENTIAL ADDRESSED FCO TELEGRAM 812 OF 13 OCTOBER RFI PEKING, POLAD
SINGAPORE AND SAVING TO WASHINGTON.

PY TELEGRAM 911 (NOT TO SINGAPORE NOR WASHINGTON) : BAHRYMAINE.
BARRYHAINE, WHO APPEARED TO BE IN FULL POSSESSION OF HIS MENTAL
FACULTIES IN SPITE OF SOME PHYSICAL ILL-HEALTH, GAVE US A FIRST
CONFIDENTIAL ACCOUNT OF HIS EXPERIENCES. MUCH OF IT WILL BE AVAIL- ABLE
TO YOU FROM PRESS REPORTS. HE INTENDS TO HARKET HIS STORY THROUGH THE
DAILY TELEGRAPH.

2. HE WAS ORIGINALLY ARRESTED BECAUSE OF PHOTOGRAPHS TAKEN WHILST HIS
SHIP SAILED AWAY FROM SHANGHAI, HE SAYS HE TOOK ONLY THREE EXPOSURES
THEN BUT HIS FELLOW PASSENGER, CAPTAIN NERONI, TOOK MANY MORE AND MUCH
MORE OPENLY. ONCE HE WAS ARRESTED THE CHINESE WENT THROUGH ALL HIS
POSSESSIONS WHICH INCLUDED HIS FILES AND RESEARCH MATERIAL. THESE
INCLUDED :-

(A) COPIES OF AN ARTICLE HE HAD WRITTEN AFTER HIS VISIT TO SHANGHAI IN
ABOUT NOVEMBER 1967, IN WHICH HE HAD MADE SOME CRITICAL REMARKS ABOUT
THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT AND CHIANG CHING IN PARTICULAR,

(B) COPY OF A SPECIAL REPORT HE HAD WRITTEN AFTER VISITING HAIPHONG, AT
THE TOP OF WHICH HE HAD MARKED FOR ADAM OR GIBBON, PHOENIX PARK". (C)
ORIGINAL LETTERS FROM ADMIRAL RAMAGE AT THE PENTAGON SIGNED 'JIG' AND
FROM ADMIRAL RICHARDSON ON BOARD THE USS 'KITTYHAWK *

SIGNED DAVE'.

3. HIS INTERROGATION HAD LASTED SEVEN MONTHS. HE HAD NOT BEEN PHYSICALLY
MALTREATED. THE CHINESE HAD TAKEN CONSIDERABLE TROUBLE ABOUT HIS HEALTH,
HE THOUGHT THE PRISON WAS IN THE FORMER FRENCH CONCESSION. HE WAS
RELEASED WITHOUT EXPLANATION EXCEPT THAT THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT HAD
DECIDED TO TREAT HIM LENIENTLY.

4. HE WAS QUESTIONED ABOUT HIS THREE AND A HALF YEARS EMPLOYMENT BY
INFORMATION RESEARCH DEPARTMENT IN THE EARLY 1950S, HE SAYS THAT HE GAVE
THEM NOTHING MORE THAN A DESCRIPTION OF THE DEPARTMENT'S OVERT
ACTIVITIES

/5. DURING

CONFIDENTIAL

CONFIDENTIAL

2

-

5. CURING HIS WHOLE IMPRISONMENT HE NEVER SAW OR HAD COMMUNICATION WITH
ANOTHER PRISONER. HE IS UNDER THE IMPRESSION THAT THERE WERE PROBABLY
THREE OR FOUR OTHER NON-CHINESE PRISONERS IN HIS BLOCK BUT HIS EVIDENCE
IS EXTREMELY SLENDER. IT DEPENDS ON THE FACT THAT THE NON-CHINESE
PRISONERS HAD DIFFERENT FOOD SERVED IN DIFFERENT CONTAINERS. HE WORKED
OUT THAT THERE WERE AT THE MOST SIX, AND AT TIMES ONLY THREE OR FOUR
SUCH CONTAINERS IN USE. HE THINKS THAT ONE OF THE OTHER NON-CHINESE
PRISCHERS HAD SOME KNOWLEDGE OF THE CHINESE LANGUAGE. IT WAS ONLY WHEN
HE ARRIVED IN HONG KONG THAT HE HEARD OF THE CASES OF CROUCH AND
JOHNSTON.

6. WE HAVE INFORMED THE BLUE FUNNEL AGENTS AND GRAHAM OF THE CHARTERED
BANK OF PARAGRAPH 5. SO FAR AS THE BANK KNOWS JOHNSTON DOES NOT HAVE ANY
CHINESE. IF THERE WAS A CHINESE-SPEAKING FOREIGNER IT MAY HAVE BEEN VAN
ROOS BROEK.

FCO PLEASE PASS PRIORITY TO PEKING AND SAVING TO WASHINGTON.

SIR D. TRENCH

FILES

F.E. DEPT.

H.K. DEPT.

CONSULAR DEPT.

NEWS DEPT.

I.R.D.

SECURITY DEPT. SIK S. TOKLINSON MR. WILFORD

[REPEATED AS REQUESTED]

ADVANCE COPIES SENT

FFFFF

CONFIDENTIAL

Cypher/Cat.A

IMMEDIATE HONG KONG

Telno.811

CONFIDENTIAL

RECEIVED IN

REGISTRY No. 50

140CT 1969

FEC 134/2

C

TO FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE

11 October, 1969

CONFIDENTIAL

Addressed to FCO Telno.811 of 11 October. Repeated for information to
Peking and Karachi.

Norman Barrymaine entered Hong Kong at Lowu today

at noon.

FCO please pass Immediate to Peking and Karachi.

Sir D. Trench

[Repeated as requested]

DEPARTMENTAL DISTRIBUTION

F. EATSERN DEPT. HONG KONG DEPT. NEWS DEFT.

GGGGG

ADVANCE COPIES SENT

CONFIDENTIAL

+

39

FEO 130/2

Dakes (38,

17ak

27 August, 1969.

Mr. Korean Barrysing

Many thanks for your letter of 22 August about

Norman Barrysaine who was detained by the Chinese authorities in
Shanghai some 16 months ago.

2. We agree with you that it would be pointless to try to pass a copy of
the circular letter from the Air Public Relations Association to him.
Our Mission in Peking has only recently tried to send a letter to
Barrymaine from his daughter but it was returned by the Ministry of
Foreign Affairs, The circular letter could not hope to fare any better.
The Chinese have been very unfortheosing about Barrymaine's case despite
constant pressure from us here and in Peking ever since he was detained.
It was only a month ago that the Chinese Mission in London admitted to
his daughter in a letter that he was in fact in detention. have yet to
pass this information on to us officially. additional reason for not
passing the letter on to Barrysaine is that it would haziy help his case
to reveal to the Chinese, if they do not already know it, that he was a
press officer in the Royal Air Force. The Chinese might well put quite
the wrong construction on this piece of information despite the fact
that this dates froŭthe laat war.

3. I hope that with thene arguments you will be able to satisfy Mr.
Harold J. Wilson.

They

An

T. Cochrane, Esq., 0.B.E.,

MINISTRY OF DEFENCE,

Whitehall,

Main Building,

LONDON, "G.T..

(C. Wilson) Far Eastern Department

Phatipage ford to Mr. Thom

"ELAINE"

Cranley Road,

Westcliff-on-Sea,

Essex.

Enten

27th August, 1969.

trafa

pa

31

Colin Wilson, Esq.,

Far Eastern Department,

Foreign and Commonwealth Office,

London,

S.W.1.

Dear Mr. Wilson,

RL

-25E. 1907

FEC 130/1 12/2

Z

Thank you for your telephone call on Tuesday evening.

As promised, I enclose a fairly recent photograph of my father, and I
would appreciate it, if this could be returned to me at a later date.
Perhaps when you show this picture, you could mention that since this
was taken, my father had lost some weight, and was in fact quite slim.

I do hope that some information will come from the interview, and look
forward to hearing from you further.

Yours sincerely,

Abarrymaint

луч

Anne S. Barrymaine (Miss)

PEO 130/2

Da.

beslo

27 August, 1969.

Mr. Hon sa Barrenaine

35

Many thanks for your letter of 22 August about Norman Barrynaine who was
detained by the Chinese authorities in Shanghai" some 16 months ago.

2. We agree with you that it would be pointless to try to pass a copy of
the circular letter from the Air Public Relations Association to him.
Our Mission in Peking has only recently tried to send a letter to
Barrynaine from his daughter but it was returned by the Ministry of
Foreign Affairs. The circular letter could not hope to fare any better.
The Chinese have been very unforthcoming about Barrynaine's oase despite
constant pressure from us here and in Peking ever since he was detained.
It was only a month ago that the Chinese Mission in London admitted to
his daughter in a letter that he was in fact in detention. have yet to
pass this information on to us officially. additional reason for not
passing the letter on to Barrysaine is that it would hazây help his case
to reveal to the Chinese, if they do not already know it, that he was a
press officer in the Royal Air Fores. The Chinese might well put quite
the wrong construction on this piece of information despite the fact
that this dates froɛ the last war.

3. I hope that with these arguments you will be able to satisfy Mr.
Harold J. Wilson.

They

An

T. Cochrane, Esq., 0.3.E.,

MINISTRY OF DEFENCE,

Main Building, Whitehall,

LONDON, 9.W.1.

(C. Wilson) Far Eastern Department

р

fara

136

Please address any reply to MINISTRY OF DEFENCE

and quote: Your reference:

Dear Wilson

MINISTRY OF DEFENCE Main Building, Whitehall, LONDON S.W.I

Telephone: WHitehall 7022, ext. 790 2

22. vii. 69.

75

1

Harald J. Wilson, writing to me

yesterday, wrote that

Grefored to

convey

Norman Barry mone

ан

you might be mentation to

to be held at the

re-unecin

the Press Club

an 2nd September. I had thought ayself of would be foubles making

the gesture

gesture but

vey

but you nam saho is bear that of anything of this

Sort could be done it should by

I meet confess I dent

ин

Shape H.J. Wilson's enthusiasm

Barrymanie swer hie "Sunda

كرام

article this rather odd

Tues

Imel

travels

un

the Far East.

7 hope your

سه

will

Родиле

Que but

ная

mwering your ave Eitelson have been pressury

the eveloped letto is

the

ane that I have sent out.

If

it reacher Barrymans be

well undertad

what I' all

about.

Yours snevely

ове

Thomas Cochrane

AIR PUBLIC RELATIONS ASSOCIATION

Honorary Secretary: Tuomas Gael 1908

Room 0362

I

Buildint

Avenue

(Founded May 1147)

President The Chief of the Air Staff

Chairman. The Rt. Hon. Sir Lionel Heald, O.C., M.P.

Honorary Treasurer:

R. G. rody 185. Burnt Ash Hill Low. $.E.12

Telo. 857-7061

M!

tul 9-0.2022 E 1902

Ref: DDFR(G)/15

24th July 1969

3+

+

J

1

I have been asked by Freddy Gillman and George Fearon to send you the
text of à letter they have drafted which is set out below.

"It has been proposed that the original R.A.F. Fress Liaison Officers
and photogra; hers recruited in 1939 by the late Kr. C.F. Robertson, of
the Air Kinistry, together with ordinera in "Rolbie's" departa nt,
should celebrate the 30th nanivoreny of their call-up by a reunion on
Tuesday 2 Se topb.r not, the expat lite of the unive❤rnry.

L

It was on

2 Se; Leuber 1939 that the first contingent reported at the Air Kinistry
to receive their instructions and postings.

Arrangements have been wide for this reunion to take the forn of a
surper to be held at the Press Club, St. Brile's House, off Salisbury
Saure, Flet Street, London, E.C.4. at 6 for 7 p.m.

The cost, excluding; all drinks, will be about £.0.0d. per head.

It is hoped that we shall have as guests Sir Lionel Heald, Chrirman of
the APRA, Lord Willoughby de 3roke, Mr. Harald Peke (our first 2.7.R.),
Tommy Cochrane and Harold J. Wilson (Robbie's Deputy.

It is intended that invitations should go to all those who joined the
R.A.F. as FLOs (later renamed IROS) up to 31 December 1939."

Attached is list of those whom we believe are 1igible, unfortunately the
files thit would have eat :blished who was recruited before the end of
1939 cannot be triced in the umes pro those thut have come cut of
verlova irdi ihula' memories. If you know of any omissions I would be
most grateful to know them. Loter on of course I will gond delils of the
rangements and also

a list of those who have been able to nocept.

I have been able to establish the whereabouts of all the surviving chaps
on the attached ligt except Douglas Kissnch and Alan Clutton-Brock. Any
Information on their whereabout would be appreciated.

Terhaps you will kindly let me know na soon as convenient whether you
hope to be there. (It has suddenly struck me that none of you cin be
under 60!).

4

יו

11

F. C. Gillman

L. V. Dodds

Tom Wisdon

W. A. J. Lawrence

T. S. Sprice Donald McCullough Alan Clutton-Brock

S. F. Tolman

V. A. Mackenzie

Norman Barrymaine

Stanley Devon

Douglas Kissack

George Fen"on

Charles Bry

Graham Cawthorne I. A. Nickolls

Andrew Rice

Rene EcColl

David Grant Harry Hensser

Arthur Wilson

:

1

+

1

י

7

.

Kote Xo. 321

| TEC 134/2

기다

The Crries of the British Chargễ d'Affaires present their Complima ta to
the Consular Degertuent of the Ministry of Foreign stairs of the
People's Republic of China and have the benen: to refer to their Notes
numbered 76, 81, 123, 141, 162 and 143 of the 24th of June, 4th of July,
17th of Auguet, 14th of Jeptember, 24th of October and 20th of November,
1568, und 3, 3, 50, 82 and 102 of the 2nd of Jummary, 13th of V-brunry,
14th cớ Zarok, £2nd of Xay and 13th of June, 1969, which Pequest:^.
confirmation of the reported arrest of Kr, HoFMAN Bary:r ine, details of
say sharges brought against hin, and

immediate ameular socess to him,

Tho Cffice of the British Chargă d'Affaires have so far eived ne reply
to the above mentioned Keton, Thưy again urgently request the Consular
Department of the Ministry of Foreig: *ffaire to furnish the information
requested on the abova British subject and to paruit immediate consular
seO DES to him.

The Office of the British Chargé d'Affaires avail

= of this opportunity to renew to the Conumlər

Depertas. ↑ of the Hinistry of Foreign Affairs of the People's Republic
of Okina kameranée of their highest consideration,

33

Office of the British Chargé d'Affaires,

21 July, 1969.

(750 130/2)

Far Eastern Departaont

مجھے

24 July, 1969.

I enclose a photostat copy of a reply received by Mise Barryanine to her
approaches to the Chinese Mission in London on behalf of her father and
a copy of my reply to Miss Barrymaine. They are, i think, self-

*xplanatory, and show a less negative

ettitude on the part of the Chinese Mission.

R. R. Garside, Esq.,

PEKING.

(C. Wilson)

132)

(1281) DA 391999. 1,500w 2:09 Hm.

NOTHING TO BE WRITTEN IN THIS MARGIN

Registry No.

SECURITY CLASSIFICATION

Top Secret.

Secret.

Confidential

Restricted. Unclassified.

PRIVACY MARKING

In Confidence

DRAFT

Letter

Type 1 +

From

To:-

R. R. Garside, Peking.

E. J Sharland

Telephone No. & Ext

l. Wilson е

Department

I enclose a photostat copy of a reply received

by Miss Barry maine to her approaches to the Chinese

Mission in London on behalf of her father and a copy

of my reply to Miss Barrymaine.

Barrymaine They are I think

legurting ottit we self-explanatory, and show a welcome slight advance

Lout of the

Look

Jess

on the Chinese Mission previous behaviour,

L

(FEC 13C/2)

Far Eastern Department

23 July, 1969.

I am replying to your letter of 9 July to John Sharland, who has now
left this department, and the copy of the reply you have received from
the Office of the Chinese Chargé d'Affaires in London to your requests
for information about your father. Curt though the Chinese letter is,
you will appreciate that it is the first confirmation we have received
from Chinese sources of your father's detention and that his case is
still under examination.

I imagine you will wish to take up the Chinese offer of an interview,
when you might be able to find out a little more about your father. (It
might be advisable to take along with you a family friend. I suggest
therefore that you write to Mr. Lu Teung-sin thanking him for his offer
to arrange an interview for you and suggesting two or three possible
dates and times.

When you receive an interview, I suggest that you express particular
concern about your father's health, stressing his age and previous
operations for brain tumour and ask for reassurances about his health.
Although I am not sanguine that they will permit your father to write to
you I can see no harm in your putting this request to them. Indeed, you
might leave them a letter to be forwarded asking that it be passed by
the appropriate Chinese authorities to your father. It should not be
sealed, so that the Chinese may read it if they wish.

I am not hopeful that the Chinese Mission will be able or willing to
give you more information than is contained in the letter. They may,
however, be prepared to enquire about his health for you. Nevertheless,
I believe a visit to the Mission by you will serve to reinforce
expressions of concern and appeals for information through official
channels and may indeed be more effective in elliciting personal
information from them. As regards publicity of your visit - I would have
thought that this was best avoided on this occasion.

Perhaps you would address any future correspondence about your father to
me or Mr. Sharland's replacement, Mr. R. N. Dales.

Miss A. Barrymaine,

"Blaine",

Cranley Road,

Westcliff-on-Sea,

Essex.

(C. Wilson)

CHIMEI DE 391999 1,000 249 H".

NOTHING TO BE WRITTEN IN THIS MARGIN

Registry No.

SECURITY CLASSIFICATION

Top Secret.

Secret.

Confidential.

Restricted.

Unclassified.

PRIVACY MARKING

➖➖➖JLLKILIJIIJJLOOMI

DRAFT

Letter

Type 1 + 4

To:-

From

Telephone No. & Ext.

Miss A. Barrymaine, "Elaine",

Cranley Road,

Westcliff-on-Sea,

Fasex.

Department

why his how

lage. this

In Confidence

I on replyin's

Letter

y John

Soful-out

15 John Sharland.

mank you for your letter of 9 July and the copy

of the reply you have received from the Office of the

Chinese Chargé d'Affaires London to your requests

for information about your father. Curt though the

Chinese letter is, you will appreciate that is the

first confirmation we have received from Chinese

sources of your father's detention and that his case

is still under examination.

I imagine you will wish to take up the Chinese

offer of an interview when you might be able to find

be

out a little more about your father adsisoste / to lake owlong with

11-

might

would

lé suggest, a family

however, that should you de se you ask an addit-ale

friend!

relative or close friend to accompany yÛN 95 HỊ Đbcort

I suggest therefore that you write to Mr. Lu Tsung-min

thanking him for his offer to arrange an interview for

bates you and suggesting two or three possible days and

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