Kiyoshi WATANABE (aka Uncle John) [1890-????]

For more about Kiyoshi Watanabe and what he did in HK, read 'Small Man of Nanataki' by Liam Nolan. Helena May have a copy of this book published in 1966. It is most moving.

"Footprints", the memoirs of Sir Selwyn Selwyn-Clarke, is dedicated to The Reverend Kiyoshi Watanabe. The dedication page has a post war photograph of Watanabe.

The dedication reads:

'This book is dedicated to The Reverend Kiyoshi Watanabe, formerly Officer Interpreter, Imperial Japanese Army, who helped to save lives of many British prisoners of war and British and Allied civilian men, women and children interned in Hong Kong during the Japanese occupation, 1941-1945, at the risk of losing his own. His wife and daughter were killed during the Allied bombing of Hiroshima on 6 August 1945'

The Helena May has a copy of this book.

Ian

There is a Podcast on Kiyoshi Watanabe, accessible on YouTube, under the heading "Forgotten, episode 12."

There is a blog entry about him. His DoB is mentioned here.

https://hosannaefcluxmundi.blogspot.com/2016/08/on-day-august-6-1945.ht…

There was a very interesting piece written by Fionnuala McHugh in the Sunday Morning Post magazine on 14 May, about long-term HK resident  Harry Odell, (1896 -1975). He was Jewish and came to HK in about 1919, having served in France during WW1. In 1921 he married Sophie Weill, daughter of the couple who owned Sennet Frères, probably the most prestigious watch and jewellery company in the Colony.

Harry served with the HK Volunteers during the 1941 battle; was wounded at Tai Tam and later incarcerated in Argyle Street Camp.

Apparently whilst in captivity, Harry was going to have his leg amputated by Dr. Selwyn Selwyn-Clarke, the pre-war Director of Medical Services. 

Sophie told Dr. Selwyn-Clarke that if he would save Harry’s leg, she would somehow keep him supplied with medicine. The doctor did save his leg, and Sophie was able to keep her promise to the doctor by a combination of selling all her jewellery and having secret meetings at home with Kiyoshi Watanabe. (“The Japanese Oscar Schindler.”).

Harry went on to become a well-known entertainment impresario after the war, bringing a number of big-name performing artists to the Colony.

Keiji MAKIMURA (aka 牧村慶治) saved Kiyoshi Watanabe (Uncle John). Because of Uncle John's friendly and kind manner towards the POWs, he was ostracized by his fellow and had to live in constant fear in Hong Kong. Luckily, he received help from the kind and sincere Makimura, who was willing to employ him on behalf of the Japanese Hong Kong Government, until Japan announced its surrender. 

 Even when he met Mr. Makimura and was offered a job, Uncle John thought it was a trap. But Makimura, a kindly and sincere man, gave him confidence, told him that he (Makimura) needed an interpreter and that he would be pleased to employ him on behalf of the Japanese Hong Kong Government. And so it was that, along with many other Japanese men, Uncle John heard the Emperor's momentous broadcast of August 15, 1945. This was the broadcast in which the Emperor spoke to his people and told them of the decision that had been reached. The war was over. Japan had surrendered to the enemy. Uncle John wept. 

 Kiyoshi Watanabe, newly re-employed as an interpreter by the Japanese administration after being abused and dismissed by Colonel Tokunaga, already knows about the destruction of Hiroshima, where his wife Mitsuko and two children were living. Today he hears the Emperor's surrender broadcast on the radio, and weeps. 

_{Sources :}

_{(1) 15 Aug 1945, Chronology of Events Related to Stanley Civilian Internment Camp
https://gwulo.com/node/12542
(2) 'Small man of Nanataki; the true story of a Japanese who risked his life to provide comfort for his enemies' by Nolan, Liam p.146}