| Journal of the Royal Naval Medical Service, Vol 44 (1958) (Pages 77 - 96) |
Prisoner of War camp in Japan where more than two hundred POWs from Hong Kong were imprisoned. The camp was also known as Tokyo Number 14 Dispatched Camp, or Yoshima Camp. (To show the map details above, select the ESRI map layer.)
Timeline:
James Mackenzie Jack inherited the engineering company W.C. Jack & Co. Ltd. from his father, William Jack, on his death in 1919. He was serving in Salonika with his brother at the time of his father's death. I don't know his brother's name, or if he returned safely to Hong Kong. When my uncle, Leslie Warren, had to wind up C.E. Warren & Co. in May, 1941, James Jack asked him to take over the Jacks branch in Penang while the then MD took six months leave. Jack became a POW and was in the fifth transportation to Japan, where he died in a POW camp on 15 September 1944.
Used by the Japanese as a temporary POW Camp for RAF personnel between the surrender and 1st January 1942 when the prisoners were transferred to Sham Shui Po. The prison was demolished and replaced by the Murray building in the early 1960's
Moddsey notes it was originally built as a refugee camp:
PWD Report 1938
North Point Refugee Camp was completed in November 1938 to accommodate the influx of refugees from the Mainland. The camp comprised 26 huts of timber construction with concrete floors, except the kitchen which had brick walls. Access to the camp was via Kam Hong Road (St) and Marble Road.
Similar refugee camps were constructed in Ma Tau Chung and King's Park The camps were run by the Medical Department with some aid received from charitable organisations
1939 North Point Refugee Camp
As we've just added a place for the Argyle Street camp, here's one for the Ma Tau Chung (also spelled Chong) camp, which was just across the road.
Again, Tony Banham's books and website are the best reference on the subject. On the website he writes:
It's time as a POW camp is described in detail in Tony Banham's 'We shall suffer there'. He gives a brief description, map and photos on his website:
In April 1942, the Argyle Street Camp was opened for officers, who were accompanied by 100 Other Ranks who primarily acted as cooks and batmen. (Note that in the background of the Argyle Street photo to the left, the Central British School - now KGV - can be seen).
1927. A camp for soldiers is built here on the recently reclaimed land. (See PWD report for 1927, quoted in the comments below.)
1941. 'C' Force (the Canadian troops) arrive in Hong Kong, and initially stay here.
1942-45. Used by the Japanese as a Prisoner of War camp to hold Allied soldiers.
