Statement by Robert Emmet Farrell, aged 45 years, dated 25.10.1943.
At the time hostilities broke out in Hong Kong, I was chief engineer in the Hong Kong Telephone Co Ltd. I was also a member of the HKVDC, but I was instructed to remain in my position with the Hongkong Telephone Company as the telephone service came under the army. When hostilities ceased I was interned for three months after which I was released on the grounds of being an Irish Free State subject and honorary Spanish Consul for Hong Kong.
I left Hong Kong for Macao on about 13th November 1942, together with my wife and family after discovering that it was possible to obtain a pass and that Mr Reeves, the Consul General in Macao, was prepared to finance me.
After being informed by Mr Reeves that my company wished me to leave for London, I eventually left Macao by junk with my wife and family for Free China where we contacted Capt F W Wright of the British Army Aid Group who arranged for our onward journey to Kweilin.
Comments
Farrell family
Henry Ching writes:
The story of the Farrell family leaving Hong Kong is told in Les Fisher’s “I Will Remember” (ISBN 1-85741-038-6). R.E.Farrell “claimed Irish nationality and managed to get to Macau after the surrender with his wife and family, and eventually got to the UK. He returned to Hong Kong in September 1945 with the rank of major”.