Ralph Goodwin, a New Zealand naval officer had been a PoW since Dec 25, 1941. For two and a half years he always had escape in his mind, and in Sham Shui Po camp he had prepared for it. He realized that the location of this camp was the best he had ever had to make an escape. The proximity of the camp to the sea, meant that he could swim from the seawall, to a little habited part of the coast from where he could climb into the hills and make his way northwards to freedom.
"Sunday the 16th of July 1944 was just another day of pouring rain, without however, the usual display of lighting. In fact, when night fell, the rains came down with never a flash to break the darkness, a most unusual condition. Never before had there been such an opportunity."
He had to wait for midnight when the lights went out, and he prepared to pick up his pack with the escape supplies he had secreted away.
"Suddenly the lights went out and the camp was plunged into intense gloom"
All was ready and he prepared to leave without disturbing anyone.
"There would be interrogations on the morrow, and it was better that nothing should be known."