Flag raising ceremony at Stanley Camp

David
Tue, 09/23/2014 - 00:03
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Flag raising ceremony at Stanley Camp

R E Jones raising the Union Jack that he'd hidden, sewn into his mattress, throughout the internment.

Read more about the flag-raising on 30th August 1945.

Photo courtesy of Jones' daughter, Rae.

Date picture taken
30 Aug 1945
Gallery
1940s Hong Kong
Shows person / people
Raymond Eric JONES [1905-1957]
Shows place(s)
Stanley Civilian Internment Camp [1942-1945]

Comments

According to Admiral Harcourt's subsequent ROP, he was impressed by R E Jones' actions.

"We first of all drove out to Stanley Camp which housed all the civilian internees. On arriving we found everyone awaiting us and we had a most unforgettable welcome. Having met the leading members of the camp (photo 1 , photo 2), I was informed that they were preparing a ceremony for the hoisting of the Union Flag. They had refused to hoist it until the Admiral appeared as they wanted to do it properly. After a short delay we had a very touching ceremony when the Union Flag and also the standards of all nationalities that were in Stanley Camp were hoisted, accompanied by the singing of 'God Save the King' and a short reading by two clergymen. In conclusion three cheers were given for the King. The Union Flag had been produced by an ex-Naval rating who had hidden it in his bedding when Hong Kong was captured and had managed to hide it for the whole period so as to be ready for this occasion. The morale at Stanley Camp, as at all other Camps that I visited afterwards, was extremely high despite the obvious effects of malnutrition which could be seen on every face. The enthusiasm and the cheering really had to be seen and heard to be believed, it was so obviously spontaneous and seemed to express the pent-up feelings of all these years. I shall never forget it.

After leaving Stanley Camp we proceeded over to the Kowloon side and visited, first, Shamshuipo Camp which held all the European Prisoners of War, then the camp for Indians, then the hospital for Indians and finally the hospital for Europeans. In every camp and hospital there were the same scenes of enthusiasm. In the hospitals I had to go into every ward as they all wanted just to see a British Admiral again and the doctors all said that our visit would do their patients much more good than anything else - even more good than the extra food and medical supplies we were able to bring them. One felt no doubt as to the truth of this statement."

Source : "The British Pacific Fleet: The Royal Navy's Most Powerful Strike Force," and the author is David Hobbs.

Imperial War Museums - Catalogue number : A 30506
https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/205195096
"Liberation and Repatriation August - September 1945: The Union Jack is raised at Stanley Civil Internment Camp, Hong Kong, watched by the internees."