Interview with Arthur Ernesto Gomes

Portuguese NCO served with No 5 (Machine Gun) Coy, Hong Kong Volunteer Defence Corps, Fortress Command in Hong Kong, 1938-1941; prisoner of war in Sham Shui Po Camp, Hong Kong, 12/1941-8/1945

REEL 1 Background in Hong Kong, 1917-1938: family; education at St Joseph's College; employment as trainee motor mechanic; description of pre-war Hong Kong and nature of British rule; influx of refugees from China; evacuation of military wives and children. Aspects of period as NCO with No 5 (Machine Gun) Coy, Hong Kong Volunteer Defence Corps, 1938-1941: reasons for joining Hong Kong Volunteer Defence Corps, 1938; national composition of unit; character of training; defence situation in Hong Kong until 1941. Recollections of operations as NCO with 18 Platoon, No 5 (Machine Gun) Coy, Hong Kong Volunteer Defence Corps, Fortress Command in Hong Kong, 12/1941: arrival of Canadian Army troops; lack of naval defences. REEL 2 Continues: role of HMS Thracian; state of colony's air defences; character of the Gin Drinkers Line and pillboxes; story of how Japanese managed to map coast whilst salvaging wrecked ship; nature of Japanese espionage in Hong Kong; underestimation of Japanese military abilities; character of Imperial Japanese Army mortar fire, artillery and uniforms; training at Fan Ling Camp, 6/12/1941-7/12/1941; arrival of machine guns and live ammunition; taking up positions on hill; withdrawal to Kowloon; reporting to Clube de Recreio, 7/12/1941; mobilisation, 8/12/1941; taking up positions in pillbox on Mount Davis; conditions in pillbox; opinion of British refusal to surrender, 12/12/1941. REEL 3 Continues: reaction to withdrawal from Kowloon; orders to take patrol to defend unit member's families; meeting with wife; threat from Triad criminal organisation; Chinese Very Important Persons (VIPs) escape from Hong Kong in civilian aircraft; role of motor torpedo boats of Royal Navy's 2nd Motor Torpedo Boat Flotilla during Battle of Hong Kong; story of escape of Admiral Andrew Chan Chak in motor torpedo boats of Royal Navy's 2nd Motor Torpedo Flotilla; role of the elderly members of the volunteers in defence of North Point; destruction of No 6 (Anti-Aircraft) Coy, Hong Kong Defence Volunteer Corps on Hong Kong Island during Imperial Japanese Army attack, 18/12/1941; role of his company in reserve; reasons why his company did not move to Wong Nai Chung Gap; heavy casualties amongst No 3 (Machine Gun) Coy Hong Kong Defence Volunteer Corps at Wong Nai Chung Gap; return to Mount Davis; shortages of ammunition and rations; obtaining food; degree of knowledge about progress of the battle; opinion of Japanese forces' fighting skills. REEL 4 Continues: Aspects of surrender of Hong Kong Garrison, 25/12/1941: orders to surrender and instructions to lay down arms; reaction to news of surrender; move to St John's Place. Recollections of period as prisoner of war in Sham Shui Po Camp, Hong Kong, 12/1941-8/1945: character of march to Sham Shui Po Camp, 30/12/1941; conditions in camp after looting by civilians; further details of surrender and march to camp; initial problems of cooking rice in bulk; layout and organisation of camp; initial role cleaning camp; lack of medical supplies; problems of constipation amongst prisoners of war; arrival of rations; work parties at Kai Tak Airfield after 2/1942; march from Kai Tak Airfield to Sham Shui Po Camp; aid given to prisoners of war by Chinese workmen; work routine; character of guards; Japanese authorities encouragement of civilians to leave Hong Kong; wife's move to Macau. REEL 5 Continues: communication with wife during Japanese occupation of Hong Kong; situation with Red Cross parcels; contents of first Red Cross parcel, 9/1942; camp concerts; removal of officers and Indian prisoners of war from camp; loss of camp prisoners of war aboard SS Lisbon Maru, 1/10/1942; reaction to removal of officers; religious life in camp; reasons for Japanese guards' beating of Catholic priest Eric John Green; reasons for beatings by Japanese guards; early escapes from camp; Japanese camp authorities reaction to escapes; method of supplementing rations and Japanese authorities reaction to the success of the venture; mutual support amongst prisoners of war; health situation in camp. REEL 6 Continues: role of camp doctors; method Major Gordon Gray used to control disease; use of illicit hidden radios; increase in United States Army Air Force air raids; reaction to bombing of Standard Oil installation and role in cleaning up after raid; rumours that the war was over, 15/8/1945-17/8/1945. Aspects of Japanese surrender and liberation of Hong Kong, 1945: how Japanese guards were denied entry into camp, 18/8/1945; obtaining food; parade held by former prisoners of war, 18/8/1945; instructions to stay in camp; air supply of camp; reprisal against Japanese in Hong Kong; evacuation of camp, 30/8/1945; supply of food given to civilians; arrival of refugees in Hong Kong; aid received from United Nations Relief and Rehabilitation Administration (UNRRA); return to his flat; fear of Chinese takeover of colony, 1945; revival of trade in Hong Kong, 8/1945; treatment of Japanese prisoners of war REEL 7 Continues: fate of Japanese war criminals; amount of evidence available against Japanese war criminals; treatment of Allied ex-prisoners of war; issues of compensation. Reflections of service as NCO with Hong Kong Volunteer Defence Force, 1941-1995: role of unit during Battle of Hong Kong, 12/1941; relations between unit and Canadian Army troops; early release of Chinese unit members from prisoner of war camp, 1942; role of Fifth Column in Hong Kong, 12/1941; award of Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (MBE) for work with Hong Kong Volunteer Defence Force; disbandment of Hong Kong Volunteer Defence Force, 1995; memorial stone at site of Sham Shui Po Camp. Reflections of take over of Hong Kong by People's Republic of China, 1999: reaction to plans to hand over colony to Chinese; opinion of last Governor Chris Patten. REEL 8 Continues: character of hand over ceremony; reaction to lowering of British flag and raising of People's Republic of China flag; continuation of economic activities in Hong Kong after hand over to China, 1999. Reflections on period as prisoner of war in Hong Kong, 1941-1945: story of Masonic activity in Japanese prisoner of war camps in Hong Kong, 1941-1945; question of lessons learnt during captivity.