Hong Kong Records for the Hong Kong Police Force before 1941

[Deelibob]

Hi Graham,

I have a great interest in the Palestine Police, you will know that after the end of the British Mandate in 1948 the PP men spread far and wide. I have a full set of the PP newsletters 1949 to present and found mention of the HKP in issue three and thought you may be interested in those named therein.

Best

Peter

[Deelibob]

Sorry, I put wrong name on above post I meant it for 1314.

Best

Peter

[1314]

Deelibob

Many thanks for this; out of the 17 named there came one Commissioner of Police (Slevin) and five Assistant Commissioners(Turner,Segrue,O'Reilly,Rose and Kavanagh).

[bushchook]

I don't suppose anyone would have drawings or paintings by AJ Savitsky (my grandfather - he was HK Police Reserve) whilst in Stanley Camp?

My dad and I are try to track down and get copies (or even originals) of his works during his internment - he did 200 odd drawings and paintings in Stanley Camp including that of the Japanese commandant.

Mick

Edited June 7, 2013 by bushchook

[Deelibob]

Hi 1314,

Just had occasion to consult the June 1956 copy of Palestine Police News Letter and thought the entries on the HKP and N & S Rhodesia may be of interest to you. Just a note ; the Violet Graham mentioned was the only Female member of the British PP ( would like to obtain her General Service Medal ! ) There were Arab and Jewish women in Auxiliary units for searching etc. Hope of use and interest.

Best

Peter

[1314]

Peter

My most gratefull thanks for these extracts.most interesting,informative and educational.I knew most of those in the two specific Forces you mention,must date me a bit !

Lower Flashback photo - Presumably PP ? I was not aware they had Bombay Bowlers,dreadfull things,on an ' eyes right ' the tail of the thing would knock your rifle off your shoulder,so we went over the Aussie style bush-hats ( ditto Kings African Rifles and N.Rhod Regt) with the left side upturned and secured with the cap badge.

HKP headwear rather straightforward,pre war colonial style helmets,post war forage caps.Only the ADC wore a Wolseley Helmet.

[reevemjr]

WILLIAM GEORGE COBURN

Can anyone help me with the following: William George Coburn - I have been told that he was in Hong Kong possibly in the police force before the second world war. Perhaps he was got out before the invasion.

It is a very long shot I know to ask this but are there any records of men who were evacuated from Hong Kong before to the invasion.

I live in hope?

Mike Reeve

[1314]

Ref William George COBURN

I can find no-one of this name having served in the Hong Kong Police Force,similarly for the Shanghai Municipal Police.

He may have served with the Royal Naval Dockyard Police in Hong Kong.Two sites which may be of assistance are -

www.hongkongwardiary.com and www.gwulo.com

If you could provide a date/place of birth I may be able to delve further.

[jamesatmaisonverre]

Hi,

My names is James and hallo to all.

I was looking for information on my grand uncle Jack Dempsey of the RHKPF. He did his stint in Stanley after the japs invaded. I don't know much else except he spend most of his life in hong kong and was originally from Macroom in Ireland. He served alongside his brother in law John Joseph Walsh also from macroom and died in 1942.

Any information on both people would be appreciated.

[bushchook]

You might be able to get some info about his time in Stanley Camp in this forum:

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/stanley_camp

Mick

[jamesatmaisonverre]

Hi Mick,

Thanks for the reply, been there already and received limited information. I was hoping to get something on his service record as shown in previous posts here. Hope someone could help.

Kind regards

James

[1314]

Jack Dempsey - I thought that we had been through all this in 2008 on the Stanley website- Nevertheless, as a refresher -

Dempsey J B 19.11.1907 enlisted as Constable HKP with Number A (for expatriate contingent) 7,on 26.8.1939.Left London for HK on board The Viceroy of China,travelling 2nd Class,with several other recruits and others returning from leave on the 28.8.1939.

Advanced to Lance Sergeant and then,on 25.8.1940, to Sergeant.Mentioned in Crisswell and Watson (HKP First 100 Years) for his part in the defence of the Colony,Interned Stanley as single.Regraded as Sub Inspector post war and then advanced to Inspector 1.6.1953.Employed as a Court Inspector (Prosecutor) in Magistrates Courts in Kowloon during the early 1960s.Believed to have met a violent death as a result of domestic violence.

[jamesatmaisonverre]

Hi,

Thanks a million for the information, don't remember last week never mind 2008, sorry. Could not find post on the above in yahoo groups either, hard to search when I don't know what name you used but nevermind, im slow and proud of it. its great to have it here now. I would appreciate it if you could elaborate on the domestic violence bit?

Kind regards

James

[jamesatmaisonverre]

Just noticed another thing, he was not born in 1907, his sister Jenny was older than him and she was born in 1909. He was the youngest of four?

Edited October 7, 2013 by jamesatmaisonverre

[1314]

The Date of Birth given above ( 1907) is in error.The Stanley Internment List gives his age as 24 (1942), therefore dob c 1918.Regret nothing further on the d.v. aspect or indeed where and when he died,no doubt the Hong Kong Police would have these details along with his date of retirement and rank at that time.

[jamesatmaisonverre]

Thanks a million, sounds better. He actually died of a heart attack and was married to Jenny lin or ling, don't know the precise spelling to be honest. I will be waiting from a response from hkp id say. Thanks for the info though, very valuable.

I could not find any information on the viceroy of china, does anybody have any information about this p&o ship, I can only find viceroy of india?.

Edited October 8, 2013 by jamesatmaisonverre

[jamesatmaisonverre]

Jack was actually christened John Dempsey and was born in 1917, common thing in Ireland to call anybody named john, jack. His body was flown home to macroom after his death and is buried in the protestant church yard on castle street. Does 1314 have any information on john walsh from macroom, also in the force?

[1314]

Ref John Dempsey Viceroy of INDIA it is - transcription error on the part of my secretary,who has been reprimanded. !

John Joseph Walsh - enlisted as Constable A 102 in 1922, advanced to Lance Sergeant on completion of Training ( 6 months),then promoted to Sergeant and later to Sub Inspector. Awarded Colonial Police Long Service Medal w.e.f. 4.8.1941 .Interned Stanley as Single ( wife and son had earlier gone to Australia).Died Tweed Bay Hospital,Stanley on 4.3.1942 aged 43 ( Therefore does not appear on the Stanley Internment List,drawn up at the end of that year).Buried Stanley.Not mentioned in either Crisswell & Watsons ' history',or in Wright-Nooth's account of Camp Life.

[1314]

Walsh is buried in the Stanley Military Cemetery, Reference 4 E 3,and recorded on the CWGC site as ' son of Thomas and Brigid and husband of Jeanette Monica of Macroom ".

[jamesatmaisonverre]

Yes I saw that alright, Jeanette being my grand aunt Jenney, brother of Jack Dempsey. Son was Frank, sadly passed away now I believe. Thomas was also a constable in the ric back in the day. He was originally from askeaton in co. limerick but settled in macroom after retirement. Bridgid was originally from kilorglin in co. Kerry.

[jamesatmaisonverre]

1314, thank you for the additional information, very valuable stuff indeed......reprimanding your secretary???..... wont ask any more questions there id say!

That means john walsh was 23 when he enlisted which would lead me to believe he talked my grand uncle into joining. interesting! along with my grand aunt of course.

Its amazing how all the pieces fit together. My initial belief was that my grand aunt went out to visit Dempsey and met john there. Next mission, find the marriage.

[1314]

A little more -

Outward ex London for Hong Kong on 19.1.1934 per Chitral 2nd Cl, unaccompanied,age not given.

J Dempsey Female

Inward to London from Hong Kong on 7.5.1937 per Ranchi

John J Walsh Police Inspector

Jeanette Walsh b.c. 1911

Thomas Walsh (1 1/2 ys)

Address in UK New Street,Macroom,Cork,IFS.

Presumably they were married in Hong Kong 1934 to say 1936

[jamesatmaisonverre]

Hi 1314,

Thanks for the extra information, great stuff. But you really have thrown a spanner in the works here. To my knowledge her only son was frank??? Don't get me wrong your info is spot on. I detect a family mystery. Yes looks like marriage in hong kong alright, untraceable in other words.

What is Ranchi and do you know what ships they travelled on?

[1314]

S.S. Ranchi

A Peninsular and Orient liner - see Google.

[rids]

I am trying to find any information on Alfred Robert Brittain from Coventry in the Hong Kong police. He is named on our local WW1 memorial as serving not a casualty, unfortunately this memorial has been badly damaged by scrap metal thieves and we are trying to restore it for the centenary and I am trying to write a not for profit book about those named on it. All I have so far are passenger lists from ancestry.