Born James Benson but was known as Father Arthur J. Benson, C. P.. He was a Roman Catholic priest of the Passionist Order and had come to China in 1923 and later assigned as the Mission Procurator in Shanghai.
Father Benson had come to Hong Kong prior to the Japanese invasion to consult with the Most Rev. Cuthbert O'Gara C. P., Vicar Apostolic of Yuanling, Hunan who had been seeking dental treatment in the Catholic Hospital. Father Benson together with Bishop O'Gara and another Passionist priest, Father Ronald Norris had been staying at Maryknoll House, Stanley.
Father Benson wrote they had been seized on Christmas Eve 1941 (likely it was early Christmas Day morning instead).He went on: "When the Japanese arrived, they tied up the Fathers (including the priests of the Maryknoll Mission) and Canadian troops who had surrendered. The next day they were all taken out to a field with their hands bound behind them and lined up in preparation for execution*. Father Benson cites the heroism of Bishop O'Gara, who, he says, gave all the Father absolution, and calmly awaited the end.
However, at the last minute, the orders were changed and the priests were taken to an empty garage, where the group was incarcerated in the garage for four night and three days without food or water, except the last day when some milk and biscuits were brought. "
*A number of British and Canadian troops that had surrendered were executed outside the Carmelite Convent on Christmas Day.
The group (the Catholic Fathers) was finally permitted to return to Maryknoll House, only to find it crowded with troops. On 2 January 1942, Bishop O'Gara, Fathers Benson and Norris were permitted to go into Hong Kong (town), a three hour walk. But they unwittingly went from the "frying pan into the fire." For three days they had stayed with the Most Rev. Enrico Valtorta, Vicar Apostolic of Hong Kong but were later rounded-up with 2,500 other nationals and imprisoned in a rat-infested hotel for two weeks. On 20 January 1942, the three priests entered Stanley Internment Camp.
In June 1942, Fathers Benson and Norris were allowed to leave Stanley Camp with other American for the United States. Bishop O'Gara had been released a few weeks earlier and would later make his way back into China.
Source
1. Catholic News Service - Newsfeeds dated 23 March 1942. See here
2. Catholic News Service - Newsfeeds dated 5 October 1942. See here