Staff-Sergeant Patrick John Sheridan was a Royal Army Service Corps (RASC) Master Baker who was first stationed in Hong Kong in 1937, volunteered for a short period in Shanghai, and returned in April 1938. He remained until he escaped from the Colony after the Japanese occupation
From the start he was fascinated by Chinese culture, learnt some of the language and fostered good relations with his staff. He was an active sportsman during the pre-war years and captained an RASC hockey team.
During the hostilities (December 8-25, 1941) he first set up a Field Bakery at Deepwater Bay and, after this had to be abandoned, co-operated with civilian bakers, including his friend Thomas Edgar, to produce bread in small Chinese bakeries in the Wanchai area. He was not sent to Shamshuipo after the surrender but allowed to carry on baking for the hospitals. He was interned first at the Exchange Building and then at the French Hospital. He was awarded the Military Medal for a courageous escape that began on June 4, 1942.
He wrote a post-war memoir which is an important source not only for baking during the hostilities but also for the conditions of civilians outside Stanley Camp in the period December 26, 1941-June 4, 1942.
More information:
- https://brianedgar.wordpress.com/2012/09/29/early-days-in-the-french-hospital-the-evidence-of-staff-sergeant-patrick-sheridan/
- https://brianedgar.wordpress.com/2012/10/08/sheridan-exchange-building/
- https://brianedgar.wordpress.com/2012/10/11/how-the-bakers-started-baking-after-the-surrender-1-delivering-old-supplies/
- http://brianedgar.wordpress.com/2012/10/18/how-the-bakers-started-baking-again-after-the-surrender-2-return-to-the-qing-loong/