World War Two – BAAG reports – Batch 3 – HSBC lions, Tricycle taxis, Industrial companies and much more…

Elizabeth Ride has sent a further sample of British Army Aid Group reports sent during during the Japanese occupation of HK in WW2.

HF: There are many industrial references including companies, factories, transport, utilties…

I have given each file Elizabeth sent a new name, dates where known and a brief summary of contents.

WIS = Waichow Intelligence Summary   KWIZ = Kweillin Weekly Intelligence Summary

BAAG File 21 Jun 1943
Large consignment of rice arrives in HK.
Distribution of cooking oil resumes
Electricity shortages
Large consignment of foodstuffs arrive in HK from Macau

BAAG File 22 Aug 1944
Resumption of bus services
520 births in July 1944 in Kowloon
Branch of the Bank of Taiwan opens in Mongkok
Yokohama Specie Bank opens an office
Shipping Syndicate + HK Auxiliary Sailing Vessel Transportation Association inaugurated

BAAG File 23  July- Oct 1944
The two HSBC bronze lions removed “for other purposes than mere ornament.”
Yamato Association
Mitsui Joint Stock Company
Formosa Development Company
Currency & Exchange Rates

BAAG File 24 oct 1944
Rates of Exchange
Railway – removal of rails and sleepers from the KCR
Tricycle Taxis – Hong Kong Bicycle Syndicate
Conditions in HK 1942-1944
– starved dead bodies in streets
– rates of exchange
– military trucks, skeleton bus service, transport hauled by coolies
– pony drawn small buses
– poultry farmers
-17.6.43 permanent blackout from midnight
– resiginations from Japanese Authorities not permitted (link to shipyard workers)

BAAG File 25 10 Nov 1944
Finance and Banking, interest rates
Commodity Supply and Demand
– demand for empty 50 gallon drums
-wood oil, peanut oil
-Wing on Shing Shipyard, Cheung Sha Wan

BAAG File 26 17 Nov 1944
Amusement Tax
Travel Regulations – restrictions on size of luggage

BAAG File 27 Sept/Nov 1944
Newly established HK Trade Association
Formation of HK Industries Association, including
– HK Electric Works
– HK Gas Works
– Water Works
– Chemical Industrial Factory
– Cement works
HK & Kowloon power station – removal of machinery and scrap metal to Japan

BAAG File 28 Oct-Nov 1944
Red Cross Correspondence
Gold Dealings, Goldsmiths’ Syndicate

BAAG File 29    Sept-Nov 1944
Lingnam Knitting Works
– now renamed No.2 Rubber Works
– producing Army clothing and hosiery
HK Oxygen & Carbide Factory
– production ceased due to shortage of electricity
The To Kwa Wan Rubber Factory
– formerly known as HK Rubber Factory
– producing rubber shoes for the Army and retreaded tyres
Green Island Cement Works
– only producing cement “for the construction of forts”
– machinery sent to Formosa
Finance & Currency, Price of Gold

BAAG File 30 Sept – Nov 1944
Diamond Market
Commodity Prices – rice, pork, beef, firewood
Public Services – Electricity
– supply cuts
China Light & Power, two small generators working, coal arriving from Formosa
Kowloon Docks, Green Island Cement – both getting 3 days power per week
Tramways, Sept 1944 service suspended
– two electric generators sent to Japan
– trams being dismantled and sent to Japan

BAAG File 31 Oct 1944
Japanese transporting cotton cloth and yarn to Cheungmuktau to exchange for rice, peanut oil, charcoal and cattle
Commodity and Prices, paddy, pigs, peanut oil
Collection of Commodities, paddy, rice, firewood
Sai Chuen Cement Works – still has workers
-controlled by Moto Unit

BAAG File 32 Sept/Nov/Dec 1944
Treatment of Government Employees
Taxation & Revenue – increase in “eating house consumption tax”
Medical – list of doctors in ten districts

BAAG File 33 Nov-Dec 1944
Commodity Supply & Prices
– price of rice
Finance & Currency
– exchange rates
– price of gold
– Finance Section of the Governor’s Office

BAAG File 34 Sept-Nov 1944
Hongkong Oxygen Factory
– producing greatly decreased due to lack of electricity
Green Island Cement Works
– military requirements necessitated day and night work
Hip Tung Wo Engineering Works
– own electricity supply from diesel engine
Hongkong Oxygen Factory
– list of materials loaded on to ship
The South China Iron Works
– closed
– machinery removed and installed in Nam Tsam [?] factory in To Kwa Wan which is now part of the Tsunan Shipyard
– work suspended due to lack of electricity

Related Indhhk articles:

1. World War Two – BAAG reports – Batch 1 – HK industrial companies, trading syndicates…
2. World War Two – BAAG reports – Batch 2 – HK industry, factories, mines, CLP…

Further information:

• For general information about the Elizabeth Ride collection, her father Sir Lindsay Ride, and the British Army Aid group during WW2 a very useful introduction is through http://gwulo.com/node/13968
• The BAAG papers are kept at the  Hong Kong Heritage Project –
•  http://www.hongkongheritage.org/Archive/internet/eng/ArchiveSearchResult.aspx?parent_code=6482&searchType=1

Related Indhhkk articles: The website has several articles about British Army Aid Group (BAAG) reports from HK during WW2 and about various aspects of life in HK during the Japanese occupation. The index shows all of these.