Frederick Arthur EWINS (aka Freddie) [1904-1974]

Frederick Arthur Ewins was born in England on March 4^th, 1904, and served with the British Army and the Shanghai Defence Force before joining the Shanghai Municipal Police as a Probationary Sergeant in 1928. He was promoted to Sergeant in 1931, Sub-Inspector in 1937 and Inspector in 1941. His contract was terminated by the Japanese on February 22^nd, 1943. Ewins together with his wife Eileen, daughter Patricia Jean (aged 4) and son Terrence Arthur (aged 10) were then interned in Yu Yuen Road Camp until April 1945 when they were moved to Yangtzepoo Camp prior to being released. 

 After the war Frederick Ewins moved to Hong Kong where he first worked in the Public Works Department and the Hong Kong Police / Royal Hong Kong Police between 1945 and 1974.

In 1966 Frederick Arthur Ewins, Esq, Ballistics Officer of the Hong Kong Police was awarded an MBE for his work in setting up the Ballistics Office in Hong Kong. (Supplement to the London Gazette 11^th June 1966)

Frederick Ewins died on September 19^th, 1974, and is buried in the Happy Valley Cemetery in Hong Kong. A monument was erected there by his Chinese wife Yuen Ping Kuen. His first wife and children are believed to have immigrated to Canada.

In 1941, Ewins had received a rare Shanghai Municipal Police Distinguished Conduct Medal Class 1. At about 4pm on March 24^th, 1941, the manager of the Farmer’s Bank of China at 984 Avenue Road in Shanghai, reported to Police that a bomb had been received at his branch. Three banks had already received bombs on the same day and 36 people had already been injured at the Reserve Bank of China in Bubbling Wells Road.   Detective Inspector J.A.  McCahey and Sub-Inspector F.A. Ewins rushed to the Farmers Bank, and at great risk to their lives, managed to remove the detonator of the bomb. Had it exploded many people would have been injured and much damage caused to the bank.

As a result of their bravery both officers were awarded 1^st Class Distinguished Conduct Medals with the following citation: -

For a display of bravery, initiative, and coolness of the highest degree in dismantling and rendering harmless an infernal machine of the most destructive type, Inspector J.A. McCahey and Sub Inspector F.A. Ewins are each awarded the Police Distinguished Conduct Medal, Class I.  (The Municipal Gazette 30/5/1941, page 158.)

In addition to his Distinguished Conduct Medal and MBE, Ewins was also entitled to the Shanghai Municipal Police Long Service Medal and the Shanghai Municipal Council Emergency Medal. The whereabouts of his medals are unknown, and I would be grateful to hear from anyone who may have information on them.