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

Submitted by brian edgar on Sat, 02/25/2012 - 21:48

Morris 'Two-Gun' Cohen, a Stanley internee who's a general in the Chinese Army, is  taken by the Kempeitai to a prison at the old Magistrate's Court in Kowloon. They want to know about his Chinese Nationalist activities and contacts.

He's left there for two nights and then taken and put in a room with Alfred Reginald Seymour Major, who was formerly in charge of the Special Branch of the C.I.D. The room fills up over the next few days until there are 8 men imprisoned there, including three more Special Branch officers - (A. H.) Elston, (F.) Shaftain and Rex Davis.

 

A meeting of the Temporary Committee considers a motion proposed by L. R. Nielson and seconded by Atholl MacGregor: it calls on John Fraser - at this stage the senior Government officila in camp - to petition the Japanese to allow the Chinese wives to stay in Stanley unless they wish to leave. It's agreed unanimously.

It is reported that arrangements are being made to move some of the aged and infirm to St. Paul's Hospital in Causeway Bay and that 9 people had already gone.

The meeting also hears a letter from Selwyn Selwyn-Clarke suggesting the setting up of an International Relief Fund. He's asked to attend a Committee meeting to provide more detail. (see February 4).

 

Sources:

Cohen: Charles Drage, The Life And Times Of General Two-Gun Cohen, 1954, 29 (See also the entry for Feb. 10, 1942)

TC Meeting: John Stericker, Captive Colony, 1945, Chapter IV, 7, 10.

Date(s) of events described