Today Arthur May begins an epic journey to Macao to cable London through the link used by British Consul John Reeves. The message he bears is from Franklin Gimson, asking for permission to set up an interim British administration over Hong Kong ((For details see the entry for August 23rd)).
After leaving Kowloon at about 8 a.m. on a sampan provided by Selwyn-Clarke through Yaumati Ferry Company manager Raymond Young, May encounters pirates who eventually agree to take him to Macao on the promise of a reward - although at one point he still had to hide under the floorboards with foul-smelling bilge water lapping over him.
He reaches Macao about 24 hours later, on August 27th, carries out his mission, and dines with Governor Texeira.
Consul Reeves sends Gimson's message via Lisbon and it arrives on August 28th. But events have overtaken the May mission and the request is no longer relevant; just before midnight Whitehall cables a reply via Admiral Harcourt, who is fast approaching Hong Kong: he is to tell Gimson to offer his full co-operation in the military administration that is about to be established.
The period between news of the Japanese surrender and the arrival of Rear-Admiral Harcourt's fleet on August 30 is one of conflicting emotions: the end of war obviously brings great jubilation but the uprotected internees fear a final massacre by vengeful or desperate Japanese troops.
At the same time, the ordinary events of the camp continue: some of the internees make their final trip to the cemetery before the arrival of the navy, where Muriel Hassard, the former Matron of the Diocesan Boys' School who died yesterday, is buried. And Hubert Overy, formerly of William Powell Outfitters, dies today at the age of 60. Apart from the killing of H. W. Jackson by a shark off Tweed Bay beach, this will be the last death in camp.
Franklin Gimson leaves Stanley again, this time with a large party of senior civil servants (like Robert Minnitt, described by one source as his 'right hand man') and support staff. His aim is to set up a provisional government, so that when Harcourt arrives, power can be handed from a British civilian to a British military administration. Otherwise, it is feared, the Chinese, with American support, might be able to take back Hong Kong - Harcourt is technically subordinate to Chiang Kai-shek, the Supreme Allied Commander in the China war zone.
Gimson makes his administration's headquarters in the former French Mission building, which has been procured by two Royal Scots officers:
It was a skeleton government in a horribly literal sense. Emaciated, their bones protruding, the newly freed internees sat in rags around tables on which blankets had been spread 'to procure some dignity,' while the Chief Justice ((Sir Atholl MacGregor)) mortally sick, dispensed legal advice from a palliasse on the floor.
At the same time, many of the Stanley nurses leave to work outside camp.
Sources:
May: Selwyn Selwyn-Clarke, Footprints, 1975, 99; Arthur May Papers, Hong Kong University Library Special Collections, A4; telegram from Reeves, August 28th, 1945, British National Archive
Overy: Geoffrey Emerson, Hong Kong Internment, 2011, Appendix 'Deaths in Internment'
Gimson leaving Stanley: Camp Log, IWM; Philip Snow, The Fall of Hong Kong, 2003, 250