Walking Out
John Hoosha and I had been in the hospital together for a long time, and we developed a friendship that carried on after we were liberated.
One day we set out to visit the Prince Robert, still docked in Kowloon. On the way we passed a Japanese guard house, and boldly entered, to see about thirty or forty Japanese soldiers sitting around a long table.
Page 25
In an adjoining room they had stacked all their rifles and swords.We helped ourselves to a couple of samurai swords each, and started out the door.
Page 26
Page 27
One of the Japs approached us with a clip board and made motions that we should sign for the swords. The army is tha army! So we humoured them by signing. I signed "Clark Gable" the first fictitious name that came to mind.
Page 28
Page 29
We proceeded on to the Prince Robert, where we were received royally, and offered anything we wanted in the way of food and drink. I remember biting into a slice of buttered white bread, the most delicious thing I had tasted in four years!
Page 30
Page 31
Page 32
I gave one of my swords to a young sailor on the ship. I have often wondered if he still has it. I still have mine, on loan, perhaps permanently, to the Bay Chaleur Military Museum.
Page 33
Page 34
Page 35 Transportation
Page 36
We met a native Chinese who had obviously been a man of substance in pre-war Hong Kong. He owned a car which he had dismantled in 1941 when the invasion took place, and he had placed the motor in one section of Kowloon, the transmission in another, and so on.
Page 37
Page 38
Page 39
He done this to prevent his car from being used by the invaders.When hostilities were safely over, he re-assembled the parts and had his car back again.
Page 40
Page 41
He must have thought he somehow owed us a debt of gratitude for our failed attempt at defending his home, so he lent us his car to roam the city.
Page 42
Page 43
And roam the city we did! Bottles of Napoleon brandy had mysteriously found their way back into circulation. We raided a Japanese warehouse and availed ourselves of some woolen blankets which were eagerly accepted for bottles of the finest French Cognac.
Page 44
Page 45
Page 46
The same family one day invited us to share a meal with them. It was a sumptuous affair! There were bottles of scotch, gin, brandy, and wine. We were seated around a big round table, on which the gracious lady of the house , and a servant, served course after course of Chinese delicacies, and urged us to help ourselves.
Page 47
Page 48
Page 49
Page 50
The meal lasted most of the afternoon. Never before or since have I been served more graciously, or has my appetite for food been so satisfied!
Photo Gallery
The car the Chinese gentleman had lent us was carbureted to burn alcohol. We found a Japanese fuel dump that had 45 gallon drums of the stuff. While attempting to get some of the alcohol for the car, I was accosted by a patrol from one of the British ships in the harbour.

Click Here To Go To Part One
Home
I was dressed in some clothes I had scrounged from somewhere, a pair of army shorts, an army cap, and a pair of knee-length rubber boots.When I answered them in English, they wanted to know what army I belonged to. I had trouble convincing them that I was a recently liberated POW.

Click Here
To Go To
Part Two
Home
Farewell to Hong Kong
Before long, probably about the first of September, we were assembled and loaded aboard the Empress of Australia
I had over-indulged in all the good food that had been provided and became quite ill. It was diagnosed as "jaundice". I was very nauseated and my skin became yellow.
By the time we sailed I had recovered, and arrived in Manila in relatively good health, after a tiringly slow voyage from Hong Kong.
Links
Manila
In Manila we were billetted in tents in an American Army Camp. There I met some old friends who had arrived there from POW camps oin Japan, as well as a large number of liberate American POWs. I remember especially Elden MacWhirter, with whom I had joined up in 1940.
Please mail me
Please sign my Guestbook
Hosted by www.Geocities.ws

1