Wednesday, October 1, 2014

72 years ago: Hong Kong's wartime diaries

72 years ago: Hong Kong's wartime diaries

2 Oct 1942, Chronology of Events Related to Stanley Civilian Internment Camp

Posted: 19 Jan 2012 03:52 AM PST

Book / Document: 
Chronology of Events Related to Stanley Civilian Internment Camp
Date of events described: 
Fri, 1942-10-02

At a Council meeting today Franklin Gimson speaks in opposition to a Camp petition  calling on the British Government to arrange for repatriation from Hong Kong.

He states that those involved must be prepared to answer a charge of 'disloyalty'. His words cause a sensation in Camp and Gimson is eventually forced to explain himself at length to try to dampen the outrage.

 

Captain Kyoda makes an unsuccessful attempt to go down with his ship, the Lisbon Maru. At 9 a.m. Lieutenant-Colonel 'Monkey' Stewart of the Middlesex Regiment, convinced the ship is about to go down, gives the order to break out of number 2 hold. A small party succeeds in getting on the deck, and frees some men from the upper section of number 3 hold. But the Japanese have let six 'suicide' guards on board, and they are ordered to begin shooting. Some of the original escapers are allowed to return to their hold without being shot at, but others are continuing to come on deck and the firing continues until the guards are thrown into the sea.

All the holds are open, and anyone who can escapes. After having climbed upto the deck, Captain Cuthbertson of the Royal Scots goes back into the hull of number 2 hold to comfort the sick and dying. He's eventually swept out of the hold by a surge of water as the ship goes under at about 10.30 a.m.

About 1,750 POWs are in the water, some trying to swim to some nearby islands. Four Japanese auxillary transport boats are circling the Lisbon Maru, and as the swimmers approach, some on board shoot at them. For the firts hour or so they fire at anyone coming near and kick back into the water the few who get to the boats.

Tony Banham sums up the situation soon after noon:

At this point, the experiences of those who would survive took three different paths. The stronger swimmers would reach (the) islands under their own power, while those still at sea would either be picked up by Chinese fishermen from the islands, or - possibly because the Japanese now realized there would be survivors - by the Japanese patrol boats.

By sunset today the rescue is largely over - only a handful of men will be recovered from the sea later. About 820 men died during the sinking, others succumbed to conditions in the Japanese work camps were the survivors were sent. 748 men returned home after the war.

Sources:

Gimson: Geoffrey Emerson, Hong Kong Internment, 1973, 67

Lisbon Maru: Tony Banham, The Sinking of the Lisbon Maru, 2010, Kindle Location 1601-1900

2 Oct 1942, Barbara Anslow's diary

Posted: 03 Mar 2012 06:48 PM PST

Book / Document: 
Barbara Anslow's diary
Date of events described: 
Fri, 1942-10-02

Typhoon around, great howling gusts all night and day, enormous waves.  2 small ships sheltering in cove.

Mabel had 6 teeth out.  Went up to see her, she was just coming round and asked 'Didn't he come with you?'   I said 'Who?'  She said 'Sid.'

Rumour that regular troops ARE away ((i.e. they had left Hong Kong.))

2 Oct 1942, R. E. Jones Wartime diary

Posted: 30 Sep 2012 08:00 PM PDT

Book / Document: 
R. E. Jones Wartime diary
Date of events described: 
Fri, 1942-10-02

Weather moderated a little.

Much controversy re repatriation request.

Aussies gave beating to Japs in New Guinea.

"K.Maru" to take regulars away?

2 Oct 1942, Eric MacNider's wartime diary

Posted: 08 Jul 2014 08:00 AM PDT

Book / Document: 
Eric MacNider's wartime diary
Date of events described: 
Fri, 1942-10-02

Typhoon weather

Reply to petition (disloyalty) read by Bl. Reps.

Stabbing case at I.Q.
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