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General => Armed Forces => Topic started by: JulzDS on Friday 17 October 08 00:03 BST (UK)
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I'm not sure if I'm in the correct place as my gr-gr uncle was a Colonial Policeman rather than military, but I'm hoping someone can help.
I'm trying to find out information on my gr-gr uncle Duncan George MacPherson. He was a Colonial Policeman in Hong Kong (joined in 1930's). During WWII he was taking POW by the Japanese - is there anywhere I can find out what camp he was held in?
He was allowed to marry his girlfriend Doris (a nurse) while in the camp and I wondered if that was unusual?
Family legend had it that he became the Commisioner of Police in HK, but I can find no evidence to back this up. Auckland War Memorial Museum (he retired to NZ) has a list of medals relating to him that mainly seem to be military medals rather than police medals.
The most curious thing is his will and personal papers have been sealed. They cannot be accessed for another 75 years because of his work - can anyone tell me if this is likely to mean he wasn't just a simple policeman in HK?
Thanks in advance
Julz
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The one medal that was Gazetted:
March 13, 1947
The KING has been pleased to award the King's Police and Fire Services Medal for Gallantry to the undermentioned Officers of Police: —
Duncan George MacPherson, Lance-Sergeant (now Sub-Inspector), Hong Kong Police.
as such you maybe able to find some info in one of the files listed here:
http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/catalogue/RdLeaflet.asp?sLeafletID=264
K
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http://www.hongkongwardiary.com/searchgarrison/uniformedcivilians.html
MacPherson, D.G. Lance Sergeant
Sham Shui Po Police St.
Interned at LHT (103)
LHT = Luk Hoi Tong Building
103 = Bibliographical reference The Royal Hong Kong Police (1841-1945) by
Colin N. Crisswell and Mike Watson (Hong Kong Macmillan 1982 ISBN: 9620301978)
And these are all the Commissioners of the RHKP:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Commissioner_of_Police_(Hong_Kong)
K
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http://www.hongkongwardiary.com/searchgarrison/uniformedcivilians.html
MacPherson, D.G. Lance Sergeant
Sham Shui Po Police St.
Interned at LHT (103)
LHT = Luk Hoi Tong Building
103 = Bibliographical reference The Royal Hong Kong Police (1841-1945) by
Colin N. Crisswell and Mike Watson (Hong Kong Macmillan 1982 ISBN: 9620301978)
K
Hi Julz !
You already know he was a Lance Sgt at that time ....... looks like the Stanley Camp is where he was .... at least at the beginning !! so thats the place to start looking ......
Although the Stanley Camp was for civilians, a number of older members of the HKVDC were interned there, as was Rifleman Riley of the Royal Rifles who had been captured at the Repulse Bay Hotel where he had been passed off as a civilian. The Hong Kong Police force was also interned there, minus a few of their number who had been captured during the short period that the police officially acted as a militia force against the invaders.
http://www.hongkongwardiary.com/powresearch.html
Annie :)
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Thank you so much! I just didn't know where to start and that's so much information already!
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Hello JutzDS -
I have been doing a research on Hong Kong - where I grew up - and I accidently came across your message left in 2008 about Duncan George MacPherson - who was in the Police in Hong Kong. He was my uncle. He married my father's sister, Doris, in the Stanley Prison Camp during the war. My father was interned there too by the Japanese. Our family was one of the longest resident families in HK - 1918 to 1956.
We all went to live in NZ - and Doris a nurse (hmmm? - one has to stretch the imagination there!) Duncan was a very nice uncle - who loved his homeland, the heather, the hills, the bagpipes, his scotch, his hunting (deer) and trout fishing - he lived to a good age despite the pipe! He was a great character with many a story he'd love to tell.
You probably don't look often at this site - I see it was August 2011 - but in the hope you will check back I have registered on to this site only so that you can contact me - I can fill you in on a lot of info.
Suzie
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Hi Suzie
I don't often check on here these days (I've put the family tree searching aside for a while), but had forgot to deactivate the email notification to a reply.
So glad I didn't! I'd love to catch up with you with some stories about Duncan. My Nan and I were only talking about him (and his brother who was also interned) last week.
Julie
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Hello Julie
Thank you for your response. Please feel free to ask any questions about Uncle Duncan. He often talked to us about his home in the highlands of Scotland - a crofters cottage and a very big family of mostly boys! He was always close to his sister and I think she outlived him.
Suzie
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Hi Suzie
One of his sisters was alive until recently, she may still be, but I've not been able to get in touch for a while. They were a big family.
The only reason my Gr-Grandfather didn't end up away like Duncan and Jimmy was because he had a limp after breaking his ankle in a rabbit hole. Somewhat ironically in the war he worked in a factory and died due to the chemicals. He died not knowing that Duncan and Jimmy survived the camps.
If you post another message then you'll have access to the Private message facility and I'll send you my email address.
My Grandmother was 80 recently and she's been talking lots about her old memories.
Julie x
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Hello Julie
My father was a chief officer of the Hong Kong Fire Brigade. His father came to Hong Kong - in 1922 from London (originally they were from Devon) - with the task to set up the new Central Fire Station in Hong Kong. Our family was one of the longest resident European families in HK.
I presume your grandmother is a daughter of Duncan's sister??
Duncan and Doris did not come directly from HK to New Zealand. He was transferred in 1954 from HK to Kenya (Nairobi) where he was sent to quell the Mau Mau uprising - he was in the CID and his posting was Asst Commissioner in Kenya. They were there about two years before coming to NZ. Though they both loved Africa, the whole experience with the Mau Mau was very terrifying for my Aunt. Had they stayed on another year Duncan was told he would receive a knighthood (Sir Duncan) - but Doris could not handle it any more and they left - joining us in New Zealand in 1957.
He was appalled at the treatment given to the Mau Mau - he is on public record as saying: "it was a lot worst than anything he experienced during his four years in the Japanese prison camp in Stanley, Hong Kong". This is one of the reasons he left Kenya.
Suzie
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Hi Suzie
I've been trying to reply to you, but it keeps bouncing back for some reason.
I will try again tonight and see if it works.
I did reply right away, I'm so excited to have spoken to someone who knew him!
My Nana is the daughter of Duncan's brother John Arthur. He couldn't go to war because of a limp and worked in the aluminium smelter in Fort William instead. Somewhat ironically (and cruelly) he died during the war because of poisoning from the chemicals. He never knew that his two brothers survived the POW camps.
Julie
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Hello Julie
I don't know why your email bounces back. Are you 'replying' on my email to you? (I had wondered why I had not heard from you - hence my new message on this site.)
Suzie
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Hi Suzie
Yeah it's the email. I think it's my email, I've got someone looking at it for me tomorrow. It's just not playing.
It's funny, I was going to post a message here tonight myself to let you know I was having trouble!
Julie
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Hi Julie
I have contacted Telecom (just now - my internet provider) to see why your emails were bouncing back ! They have checked out my internet and email and say that there is no reason from this end why your emails should not come through. They said you would need to see the 'error' message on the bounced-back email to see what the problem is. You have the same email address as I gave 'Rootschat' and I am receiving their notifications ok.
Here - in Auckland, NZ - it is 11.15am (nearly lunch time) - I presume you are somewhere in Britain (Scotland?) and probably it is nearly mid-night!
Suzie
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Hi
It's a problem with my email provider. They assure me they are working on it!
I'm in Scotland, near Glasgow. It's 22:40 so almost bedtime for me.
Julie
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Hello Julie,
During the last few days I have been rung by some friends that their emails to me have also bounced back.
I (and Telecom) have now discovered the reason their emails did not get through to me is that the emails they received from me were carrying my OLD email address with 'woosh' -(for some strange reason it was still hanging in there - even though my email to them was sent through 'xtra'. I changed my email provider some months ago to 'xtra' (which is Telecom).
So, this is the reason - its not at your end. I have just rung Telecom and we have (I hope) cleaned out my old stuff - so 'woosh' should be well and truly gone now. Can you please check that you have my correct address.
I am sending you this also on email - exactly the same address - but has 'xtra' - not 'woosh'. Thank you.
Kind Regards,
Suzanne
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Hi Suzie
We've had no electricity yesterday let alone email! We're turning out to be some pair!
I've replied to your email and hopefully that'll be us set.
Julie
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Hello Julie -
I did not receive the email you mentioned in your last post.
I have just sent you another email - can you please let me know if you receive it.
Kind regards,
Suzie