VOLUME XXVIIMACAU AND HONG KONG DURING WORLD WAR TWO HOW PEOPLE LIVED AND COPEDMacau, August 2013Frederic (Jim) SilvaREMINISCENCES OFA WARTIME REFUGEE

Título Reminiscenses of a Wartime RefugeeAutor Frederic (Jim) SilvaEditor International Institute of MacauCoordenação Rufino RamosColecção “Mosaico”Volume XXVIIDesign B.D. Designer HouseImpressão Tipografia Welfare LimitadaApoio Fundação MacauTiragem 500 copiesMacau, Agosto 2013ISBN 978-99937-45-68-6Collection MOSAICO, Volume XXVII

3Colecção MOSAICO, Volume XXVIIREMINISCENCES OF A WARTIME REFUGEEChapter 1 WARTIME HONG KONG To say the least, the people of Hong Kong were somewhat engulfed by anxiety in that tense and painful period, just prior to the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor.There were many good reasons for this. First and foremost was the fact that mother country England, was itself in a struggle for existence and could not be relied on for help. The Nazis made successful invasions of Poland and France and met with little resistance in Continental Europe. The German invasions were somewhat mitigated by a successful British army evacuation, from the French coastal city of Dunkirk. This army returned to a virtually undefended England.

4FREDERIC (JIM) SILVAColecção MOSAICO, Volume XXVIIIn Asia, a rampaging Japanese army had the major control of China. By then, Japanese troops had already captured Hong Kong’s Chinese sister city of Canton and positioned themselves along Hong Kong’s borders – ready to pounce.Under those circumstances, Hong Kong obviously could not expect help from, England in case there was an attack.England was aware of the situation. Earlier Britain had withdrawn the best of her troops from Hong Kong, to bolster their European theatre army. This left Hong Kong with a much diminished army, consisting of scarcely 14.000 defenders, against a menacing force of 80.000 seasoned Japanese troops. Not only were Hong Kong’s defensive forces limited to these 14.000 men serving in the army, navy, air force and supporting units, but a significant portion of this force consisted of

5Colecção MOSAICO, Volume XXVIIREMINISCENCES OF A WARTIME REFUGEEvolunteer civilians – weekend soldiers – as it were. There were the regulars in the Middlesex Regiment, two Indian companies – the Rajputs and the Punjabis – two newly arrived Canadian regiments, which landed in Hong Kong for “garrison duty”, scarcely a month before hostilities. They were the Royal Rifles of Canada and the Winnipeg Grenadiers. They were an untested and green band. Then there was the HKVDC (Hong Kong Volunteer Defense Corps). Local civilians of different races enrolled in companies that were defined by their race. There were the English Companies, Eurasian Companies, Chinese Companies and two Portuguese Companies.These two last companies were a Machine Gun Company and a Light Anti-Aircraft company. The Portuguese were about 500 men in all and they served with valor, defending what was their homeland.

6FREDERIC (JIM) SILVAColecção MOSAICO, Volume XXVIIOn December 8, 1941, Japanese troops crossed the border from China and within five days, the whole of Kowloon and the New Territories was in their hands. A token defense line was designated in the New Territories, at an area known as Gin Drinker’s Bay, but this was only lightly defended and at best was meant to be a delaying action, to allow all troops to be evacuated to Hong Kong Island.As the Japanese army entrenched itself on the Kowloon coast facing Hong Kong Island, a shelling duel across the harbor took place until under cover of darkness. Japanese troops made successful amphibious landings on the Eastern coastal areas of Hong Kong, around Hong Kong’s Lyemun area and around the Taikoo Dockyard. There was determined resistance to the landings, but British troops were forced to retreat in the face of superior forces. A strong defense was made at the Wong Nai Chung

7Colecção MOSAICO, Volume XXVIIREMINISCENCES OF A WARTIME REFUGEEGap area and many casualties were seen there, especially in the Eurasian company of the HKVDC.On Christmas day 1941, Hong Kong surrendered. The odds were too great. All the remaining soldiers of the defending British army were then interned. Most of the 500 men with the Portuguese companies were held at the Shamshuipo POW internment camp. Their officers were held at the Argyle Street Camp. Sometime later, a large number of the fitter Portuguese POWs were transported to Japan to work in Japanese coal mines, near the city of Sendai.Many wives and families of these interned Portuguese stayed on in Hong Kong, rather than seek refuge in Macau. They then proceded to send in food parcels to their imprisoned loved ones, but as time passed and resources dwindled, they too later went to Macau as refugees.

8FREDERIC (JIM) SILVAColecção MOSAICO, Volume XXVIITo further dampen spirits during those depressing days, were the successful Japanese incursions throughout Southeast Asia, the successful invasions of Indonesia and Philippines, the invasion of the Malay Peninsula and the fall of “fortress” Singapore, in a capitulation without any spirited defense. Over 60,000 defending British soldiers surrendered to a much smaller force of Japanese invaders. Even more dispiriting was the Japanese sinking of two of Britain’s leading battleships, just off Singapore. HMS Prince of Wales and HMS Repulse, had just been sent to Far Eastern waters to “Show the Flag” and scare off any hostile intentions on the part of the Japanese. Instead, on December 10 1941, both ships were sent to the bottom as 840 British sailors died. Land based Japanese planes successfully torpedoed, sank these ships and ended the role of Battleships in future naval warfare. Both ships were without any air cover.

9Colecção MOSAICO, Volume XXVIIREMINISCENCES OF A WARTIME REFUGEEJust before the war too, Hong Kong had its own internal problems. The population of the city had rapidly swelled to one and a half million people, with an influx of Chinese refugees from neighboring areas. There was a strain on all services, especially on the housing front.About a year before Dec 8 1941, Hong Kong authorities – in anticipation of hostilities – had ordered that all British women and children, be evacuated to Australia for their own safety. But what would constitute “British”? Generally birthplace would be a standard qualification for nationality and therefore, all Hong Kong born persons were British citizens by birth. But this was not to be the case and only English persons, of British citizenship, would be entitled to participate in this evacuation. There was a further mixup in arrangements for this scrambled group, when some English Eurasians, who thought that they would be entitled to this evacuation too, were turned back at Manila and sent back to

10FREDERIC (JIM) SILVAColecção MOSAICO, Volume XXVIIHong Kong. Colonialism and racism at its worst! The talk then was that it was the receiving Australian Government that objected to Eurasians landing on their shores to sully their then White Australia immigration policy. This evacuation to Australia was a contributing factor to a corruption, sex and bribery scandal which captured headlines just before the war. This was the ARP scandal. A new Government agency – the “Air Raid Precaution” department was formed to train air raid wardens and also to build a series of bomb shelters throughout the city, in anticipation of hostilities. Large sums of money were required to dig, build and supply these air raid shelters. Chinese contractors were hired for this work under English governmental supervision. Local contractors maneuvered themselves into the confidence of some English supervisors, by using bribes and attractive Chinese female “intermediaries” to facilitate matters. A

11Colecção MOSAICO, Volume XXVIIREMINISCENCES OF A WARTIME REFUGEElarge scale sex and cash scandal was uncovered which led to the suicide of an English government ARP officer and prolonged court proceedings involving this Government department. Meanwhile a somewhat defenseless Hong Kong, awaited what was yet to come, and this was not too long in coming.In retrospect, did no one have the foresight to anticipate that Hong Kong could not be expected to hold off an invading Japanese army for any length of time? Vast amounts of money were spent for the ARP and shelter constructions and all was wasted as Kowloon fell in five days and the whole of Hong Kong in another twelve days.

12FREDERIC (JIM) SILVAColecção MOSAICO, Volume XXVIIKowloon Wharf and Yau Ma Tei in 1940s Canton Road, Tsim Sha Tsui in 1940s

13Colecção MOSAICO, Volume XXVIIREMINISCENCES OF A WARTIME REFUGEE Chapter 2HONG KONG MACANESE SOUGHT REFUGE IN MACAU The Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor in December, 1941 ushered in a major new phase of WW II, extending the two year old European conflict, into the Pacific and South East Asia.The lives of the Macanese in Hong Kong and Macau were violently and directly disrupted when Japan invaded Hong Kong on December 8, 1941.With the British surrender on Christmas Day 1941, about 500 part time Macanese soldiers, serving in the British army as the HKVDC (Hong Kong

14FREDERIC (JIM) SILVAColecção MOSAICO, Volume XXVIIVolunteer Defense Corps), were interned as Prisoners of War.The Hong Kong Macanese community faced uncertain times. As non-belligerent neutral civilians, they were mostly left alone in the disintegrating city. In Hong Kong pre-war time, probably half of all Macanese were registered with their consulate as Portuguese nationals. The other half were born in Hong Kong and thus, automatically, acquired British citizenship, as did all other HK born persons. These Macanese never registered at the Portuguese consulate. In pre-war days, citizenship status made little difference in everyday lives. Few knew or really cared if a Macanese carried British or Portuguese papers.After the Japanese invasion, Hong Kong was an unhappy place. Japanese troops were everywhere, manning sentry posts and brutally restoring order in a city with a

15Colecção MOSAICO, Volume XXVIIREMINISCENCES OF A WARTIME REFUGEEpopulation then swollen by an inflow of refugees from mainland China. Severe hunger and food shortages brought about an increase in looting and banditry. The closing of British banks and trading houses meant that there were also no jobs to go to.With the Japanese occupation, the comfortable pre-war existence of home, family, jobs and clubs came to an end. Some food rationing, in the form of raw rice distribution, was made available at Macanese community centers. This was probably arranged through the Portuguese Consulate, the Red Cross and Japanese authorities. There were distribution centers on Granville Road, Ho Man Tin and the Tung Cheong Buildings in Kowloon. This kind of bare existence was untenable for most families. Soon there were messages by radio from Macau friends and relatives offering help and shelter. Macau was

16FREDERIC (JIM) SILVAColecção MOSAICO, Volume XXVIIspared by the Japanese and considered a neutral zone which it was. It was not occupied by invaders but the Japanese presence was nevertheless felt. The Macau Government and its then Governor Gabriel Teixeira, came to the rescue of the HK Macanese. Regardless of what papers they held, HK Macanese were offered refuge by the Macau authorities and would be provided with transport, accommodation and sustenance. A Japanese ferry steamship was chartered for what was to be called the “First Evacuation” on February 6, 1942, to be followed by a “Second Evacuation”, about three months later, for those who had been left behind or for those who changed their minds about not going to Macau with the first group. However, not all refugees came in these two arranged evacuations. In the ensuing three years, more and more HK

17Colecção MOSAICO, Volume XXVIIREMINISCENCES OF A WARTIME REFUGEEpersons continued to arrive in Macau. When funds ran low or when there were no more valuables to sell, it was time to leave HK. Also as life in HK began to look dangerous, with increasing US air raids, there was again more reason to leave. Further when reports from Macau indicated that both Macau Government and the British Consulate would continue to give support, many of those still in HK felt that it would be safer to sit out the war in neutral Macau. The day of the departure on the First Evacuation, is still embedded in my memory. Huge crowds with masses of belongings, stacked high appeared on the sea-wall where the steamer was tied up. Despite regulations on what could or could not be brought on this trip, the area was nevertheless engulfed by masses of prohibited personal effects. In some cases, it seemed that there were attempts to transfer entire households onto the steamer. Cartloads of “stuff” were rolled up alongside the ship by

18FREDERIC (JIM) SILVAColecção MOSAICO, Volume XXVIIhired coolies. At journey’s end, the Macau Government was better organized with plans to meet the refugees’ needs. No one then could really estimate the number of people to expect, and what housing and feeding arrangements would be needed. Fortunately, a respected and experienced charitable institution was chosen by the Government to be the care giving authority. The venerable old Santa Casa da Misericórdia (Holy House of Mercy) was now in charge. They then opened a division to look after refugees from Hong Kong.The principal objective now was to house and feed the arrivals. A “Chief” of the new refugee department was appointed in the person of a HK businessman, Mr. Artur Lopes. It was his job to establish a semblance of order and organization. There had always been a Macau Filo’s propensity to demonize any figure in a role of authority. Despite being a competent “Chief” Mr. Lopes had his share of unfair criticism.

19Colecção MOSAICO, Volume XXVIIREMINISCENCES OF A WARTIME REFUGEEFor accommodations refugees, could either live with friends or relatives or else make arrangements for rental accommodation. If private accommodation was the choice, then every adult and child would receive a monthly subsidy of thirty Macau patacas, plus access to some basic rations. But very few refugees could afford to be accommodated this way. Only those with ample private funds and/or close caring relatives could go in this direction.For all others, the requirement was for arranged shelter and food. Buildings that were schools, clubs, hotels and private homes were to be used for accommodation. They ranged from large facilities to small houses. They even included a floating ship (The Hulk!) tied up alongside and containing livable cabins.

20FREDERIC (JIM) SILVAColecção MOSAICO, Volume XXVIISome of these refugee centers were: The Tung Hui (the Hulk) - a permanently moored ship tied up alongside;Escola Luso Chinesa - Previously a Chinese school with many classrooms;The Armazém No. 2 - Also a converted Chinese school - facing the São Lourenco plaza (This was the second Armazém location as an earlier warehouse location was deemed unsafe);Clube de Macau - An old Macau clubhouse with a theatre and stage;Bela Vista Hotel - A hotel in a magnificent setting, but with very few individual rooms;

21Colecção MOSAICO, Volume XXVIIREMINISCENCES OF A WARTIME REFUGEEThe Chácara Leitão - A rural farmhouse somewhat distant from the city center;The São Paulo - A set of houses near the ruins of St. Paul;Praia Grande - A couple of adjoining houses on the waterfront of the outer harbor;Rua Formosa - Small residential houses on a narrow street;Clube de Sargentos - on Rua do Campo The Santa Casa a Misericórdia appointed a chief for every refugee center. He (or she) was a person living there and in charge. Kitchen duties, cleaning premises and security were parts of the jobs to be done.

22FREDERIC (JIM) SILVAColecção MOSAICO, Volume XXVIIThe “Chief” was the recipient of all complaints and the arbiter of all disputes. There were many… Some of the persons I remember as chiefs, were Harry Barretto of the Luso Chinesa, Macario Abraham, chief of the Clube de Macau. In turn, Marcus Carvalho and Larry Costa were chiefs of the Bela Vista Hotel Center. Carlos Remedios was chief of the Armazém; Mrs. Alzira Alvares Xavier of the Hulk; Alberto Xavier of Chácara Leitão and many others. One of the duties of every chief was to arrange for and supervise kitchen duties, especially in the preparation of meals. One problem was that the rice delivered in to many centers was of the poorest quality, with a high percentage of broken grains and a lot of impurities such as sand and dirt. The rice had to be “picked” over laboriously and slowly cleansed

23Colecção MOSAICO, Volume XXVIIREMINISCENCES OF A WARTIME REFUGEEof impurities, before it could be turned back to a main kitchen to be cooked. Other food rations were generally of poor quality and scarce. As a result, many people would fall prey to malnutrition and diseases. Nevertheless, there was just about enough to keep body and soul together.

24FREDERIC (JIM) SILVAColecção MOSAICO, Volume XXVIICHAPTER 3 BRITISH CITIZENS Persons who were British citizens, especially those with husbands or sons in the HK armed forces and now interned by the Japanese as POWs were looked after with a monthly cash subsidy from the British Consulate. There was a stipulation that this subsidy was only to be taken as a loan that was to be repaid after the war. The enormity arising from this subsidy was the ruling that every British refugee would be given a monthly allowance, based on what the person or family’s pre-war standard of living was. Subsidies ranged from Patacas $30 to Patacas $120 per person. How could it be possible for anyone to know, or even estimate, a pre-war standard of living for thousands of subsidy seekers? A more ill-conceived and unfair decision, affecting so many

25Colecção MOSAICO, Volume XXVIIREMINISCENCES OF A WARTIME REFUGEEpeople, could hardly be imagined. What a ridiculous and impractical ruling. This ruling only brought on favoritism and unfairness. Connections and string pulling became a deciding factor. Discreet racism also played a role because, although the British Consulate was to aid all British citizens, the Macanese and English Eurasians, somehow, seemed to do better. Indians, Chinese and those who were then called “local Indians” (these were generally progeny of Moslems from India and Malaya who had intermarried with Chinese in earlier generations) always seemed to come off second best, even though they may also have been born British subjects. The British Consul, Mr. Reeves, was given a British decoration (an OBE, Order of the British Empire), after the war, for his services in looking after the welfare of British citizens in Macau. While stationed in Macau, he surrounded himself with armed Macanese young men from HK, as his personal bodyguards who followed him wherever he went.

26FREDERIC (JIM) SILVAColecção MOSAICO, Volume XXVIIThese bodyguards were especially visible after there was the earlier assassination of the Japanese Consul of Macau. Mr. Reeves entrusted the administration of these subsidy payments into the hands of a non-British citizen. This was a Mr. Swemular, a Dutchman. He soon surrounded the whole operation with an enlarged group of consulate employees. Whilst speaking of assassinations, there was one killing that has never been solved. This was the cold blooded murder of one of Macau´s leading citizens. Fernando Rodrigues came from one of the older establishment families of Macau. He was a successful businessman. He was also the head of Macau´s Red Cross Society. In broad daylight, he was shot dead on the streets of Macau. Two daughters who were with him then, were also shot. Though badly wounded the daughters eventually recovered. Fernando Rodrigues was known to have a violent personality and was a controversial man. The rumor was

27Colecção MOSAICO, Volume XXVIIREMINISCENCES OF A WARTIME REFUGEEthat a professional killer was hired by an aggrieved business associate to exact revenge. No arrests were made, no suspects were ever charged. Citizens of the wartime city turned up in great force to mourn one of their own.In general, all British citizens were supposed to be responsible for their own housing and food with a cash subsidy - but a small group lived in the cabins of a British owned ferry steamboat, moored alongside the inner harbor. This was the S.S. “Sai On” (it was subsequently hijacked, as we shall see later).Also helped out with supporting funds, were some employees of a few large and wealthy Hong Kong companies. Some Banks, oil companies and trading conglomerates, made regular remittances available to their staff. Especially generous in this regard were American companies.

28FREDERIC (JIM) SILVAColecção MOSAICO, Volume XXVII Chapter 4 EXCITING DAYS AND TIMES Despite hunger and hardship, Macau was an exciting place to be in those days. It bore some resemblance to Casablanca, in North Africa, during the war. Like Casablanca, there were spies, counter spies, assassinations, armed robberies and enemy collaborators as part of the scene. Powerful local figures then were Governor Teixeira, Police Commissioner Proença, the British Consul, the Japanese Consul, Mr. Pedro Lobo, a high Government official with energy and contacts, the millionaire Mr. Fu Tak Iam – the Casino magnate who had a gambling monopoly at the Central Hotel in the heart of the city, amongst many smaller casinos at other locations.

29Colecção MOSAICO, Volume XXVIIREMINISCENCES OF A WARTIME REFUGEEThere was a faction of the Kuomintang (read Chiang Kai Shek´s Chinese Nationalist Government´s party group). There were armed and uniformed Japanese sentries at Macau´s border gate. There were armed and uniformed Chinese soldiers, patrolling in boats, along the inner harbor - especially near the Lapa side of this Pearl river tributary. They could have been the puppet soldiers, known as “Wang Ching Wei” troops. These turncoat Chinese mercenaries were in the pay of the Japanese and named after their traitor Chinese general. They were said to be the parties that, under Japanese instructions, succeeded in hijacking the British Hong Kong Macau ferryboat, the S.S. “Sai On”, in the middle of the night. Under cover of darkness, they attacked and made off with this vessel which was tied up alongside a pier in the Inner Harbor.The S. S. “Sai On” was towed out to sea and on to Hong Kong. During its capture, there was a nightlong firefight with

30FREDERIC (JIM) SILVAColecção MOSAICO, Volume XXVIIthe Macau police and some Portuguese army soldiers against the hijackers. At its height, there rained a hail of bullets on to the rooftops of the many buildings, along the rim of the inner harbor. The Japanese needed and wanted this steamer and found a way to get it. Two Macanese men, Mr. Coelho and Mr. Pedruco, then serving with the Portuguese army unit Artilharia, were amongst those killed.Among other incidents, in those days, was the surreptitious rescue of downed US airmen, out in the China Sea. They were probably flying from an aircraft carrier (the Enterprise?) and may have run out of fuel or had engine trouble. A large Chinese fishing junk rescued them and held on to them, until the junk fishermen could negotiate an ample cash payment for the rescue. After settlement, these airmen were clandestinely delivered to the British Consul of Macau; who in turn arranged for them to be smuggled out of Macau,

31Colecção MOSAICO, Volume XXVIIREMINISCENCES OF A WARTIME REFUGEEinto the hands of the allied Free China army. All this was revealed long after it happened. Another incident in early 1945 involved attacks by US pilots from their air craft carrier, the USS Enterprise, in the China sea. Planes bombed and strafed the radio station on the nearby Dona Maria hill and then attacked the Macau airport, setting fire to an oil installation and wrecking some hangars. Two subsequent air raids, on later dates, caused little damage. Many in the city were outraged at this affront to Macau´s neutrality. But we, as refugees, cheered. Subsequently, the American Government and Navy, apologized for their “mistake” which was said to having been made during a routine search and destroy mission. The United States later paid adequate compensation to Macau, amounting to over US$20 million.

32FREDERIC (JIM) SILVAColecção MOSAICO, Volume XXVIIChapter 5 THE MACANESE OF MACAU What about the established Macanese of Macau? They were welcoming to their HK brethren. Many had close friends and relatives in HK. We were all generally of the same blood and separated only by the 45 miles of the Pearl River Delta. All HK Macanese were descended from Macau Macanese of an earlier time. However, nearly all HK Macanese only spoke English, whereas in Macau they spoke Portuguese. Fortunately, we all spoke some of our patois. Fala Sung Yuh! (So Be It). Macau Macanese, generally, had a much easier time during the war. Their city was never invaded. All their homes were intact. Most important though, was that jobs which were

33Colecção MOSAICO, Volume XXVIIREMINISCENCES OF A WARTIME REFUGEEabout 80% provided by Government departments, continued to hand out regular paychecks.Doubtless, there was a food and housing shortage, in a city that was flooded with refugees from Canton, Hong Kong and surrounding area, all fleeing from the Japanese invaders. Still, for most established Macau Macanese, life was not too onerous. The loss of the Clube de Macau was graciously accepted as this building was commandeered as a center to house more HK refugees. However, Macau´s Melco club remained in operation. This clubhouse was in a somewhat out of the way location, but it was, nevertheless, much used for socializing, receptions and sport facilities. Few HK refugees used these facilities, as most activities could be relatively expensive and beyond a refugee´s reach. In the city there was the Argonauta club, basically a social and sporting club

34FREDERIC (JIM) SILVAColecção MOSAICO, Volume XXVIIfor young Macau men. Field hockey was a sport that Macau men excelled in. Macau Macanese were generally, attached to their parish churches. HK refugees were also assigned to “their” church, which was the Santo Agostinho. In Macau, the parish that a family belonged to could sometimes, help to establish its identity. For instance, the “elite” were inclined to worship at the São Lourenço parish. After all, this was the Governor´s parish. For Chinese converts, the Church of São Lázaro was the place to belong to. For many of more modest means, it was the Santo Antonio. This was said to have been the parish of Macanese sailors during the old “Lorcha” sailing days. Residents of the area and parishioners of this church were called “Mamung de Santo António”. I believe this was a corruption of “Irmãos de Santo António”, which was a catholic society that worked for this parish. My paternal grandmother, was my only grandparent who was born in Macau and she subsequently moved to HK

35Colecção MOSAICO, Volume XXVIIREMINISCENCES OF A WARTIME REFUGEEto get married. She identified with the Mamungs de Santo António. Obviously she did not associate with the elites of São Lourenço, nor with the Governors who prayed there! In those days, there was only one foreign bank that was allowed to operate in Macau. The BNU (Banco Nacional Ultramarino) stood proudly on the main street between the city square (Largo do Leal Senado) and the Praia Grande waterfront. The BNU was the only banknote issuing institution allowed and their notes of smaller denominations were used alongside the silver coinage then used across the border in China. There was an accepted and long standing agreement, that Chinese silver coinage (Prata), could be used in Macau, alongside the BNU´s issued notes, at a standard accepted parity. One day, somewhat quietly, small shopkeepers and tradesmen would only accept payment in Prata (Silver Coins) and refused to take BNU notes. Soon, prices for all goods, especially daily market foodstuff, would be priced in either

36FREDERIC (JIM) SILVAColecção MOSAICO, Volume XXVIIPrata or else in the higher priced banknotes (Nota). Apparently there had been an earlier surreptitious accumulation of silver coins, by manipulators with a view towards greater profit later.To counter this, the Government forced all money changers to exchange all currency at the previous par rate, but only for limited amounts. Queues and even longer waiting lines for money changing, was now an everyday occurrence, much to the annoyance of moneychangers and their customers. Then, there was also open and daily currency speculation, among those lucky enough to be able to play this game. Truthfully most refugees could not participate in these activities for lack of any surplus funds. There was also a daily currency market rate, for HK$ notes and also for HK$ “duress” notes. These were the new HKSBC Banknotes that were circulated by the Japanese authorities, after the British surrendered HK. There was the Japanese “Military Yen”,

37Colecção MOSAICO, Volume XXVIIREMINISCENCES OF A WARTIME REFUGEEmuch used then in HK by the Japanese authorities. There were the Chinese Nationalist Government banknotes, used and accepted in Chinese army occupied areas within China as the “Tai Yuan”. The exchange value for all these currencies fluctuated daily and some lively speculation was often seen. These fluctuations generally rose and fell with the Japanese fortunes (or lack thereof) of war. As the Japanese presence in the Pacific shrank with American island hopping advances so too did the value of an earlier dominant Japanese Military yen shrink as well.During that four year wartime period, there were two other institutions worthmentioning. One was the Central Hotel and its Casino which was located at the center of the city on Avenida Almeida Ribeiro. Its main casino covered

38FREDERIC (JIM) SILVAColecção MOSAICO, Volume XXVIIone whole mezzanine floor and much money changed hands here. It was, by today’s standards of lavish gambling palaces, a somewhat disheveled institution, but nevertheless it was an exciting place to be in. Macanese Macau Government servants who were perhaps 80% of the Macanese population, were not allowed to gamble, except for the 3-day Chinese New Year holidays. HK refugees were never allowed to gamble, except for those same three days. After all they were refugees supported by the Government. But there were ways! The other institution was the old Riviera Hotel with its rooms, dance hall and restaurants. Few refugees could afford to frequent this place, which provided socializing and dancing for a select few. The Riviera’s master musician and band leader was a refugee named Art Carneiro. He led an excellent band, made up mainly of veteran Filipino musicians. It would seem that only Filipinos could provide the musical skills necessary to form a good band in those

39Colecção MOSAICO, Volume XXVIIREMINISCENCES OF A WARTIME REFUGEEdays. Art Carneiro, talented musician that he was, would go to his short wave radio at night and tune in to US radio stations. He would learn and copy the latest Hollywood hit tunes and rearrange the score for his band. He was a great hit. There were other refugees who listened to the radio too. They tuned in to US radio stations for the latest news on the war, took shorthand notes, and transcribed them for dissemination, to interested parties who wanted to keep current with world events. Portuguese newspapers were available too.

40FREDERIC (JIM) SILVAColecção MOSAICO, Volume XXVIIChapter 6 THE ARRIVAL OF THE IRISH JESUITSDuring the war I lived in Macau for three and a half teen-age years. Fortunately for schoolboys my age the Irish Jesuits also found their way to Macau then. In HK they had been teaching at a somewhat prestigious high school, called the Wah Yan College. They could come to Macau from HK because Ireland, like Portugal, was a neutral nation during WW2. There were about five of them then and the Japanese left them alone.With the help of the Macau Government and an influential patron, Mr. Pedro Lobo, suitable premises were found for their living requirements as well as premises to start the St. Luiz Gonzaga College. A curriculum was prepared for

41Colecção MOSAICO, Volume XXVIIREMINISCENCES OF A WARTIME REFUGEEthis establishment which was to be along the same lines as what was needed for pre-war courses, that met with the HK Government education department’s approval. What soon followed, was to become an excellent high school where so many refugee boys – Macanese, Indians, Eurasians and Chinese studied.The education for schoolgirls was attended to by the Canossian nuns, as well as nuns from the Sta. Rosa de Lima high school.The Irish Jesuits ushered in a breath of fresh air for so many refugees in Macau, not only for the schoolboys, but for all. They were instrumental in arranging for evening classes for adults on many subjects: accountancy, bookkeeping, Chinese language writing and shorthand.

42FREDERIC (JIM) SILVAColecção MOSAICO, Volume XXVIIThey arranged for a series of stimulating and thought provoking lectures. They organized a series of one act plays, so that refugees could entertain each other in those cold dark and hungry evenings. There were comedies and dramas with inter-refugee center, dramatic competitions where young and old could act and entertain. On this same theatrical subject, some adult refugees also put on dramatic and musical productions. “Madame Jacques” was one of the more popular musical shows, with pretty ladies, excellent tenors and a chorus that included everybody. One of the reasons given for these staging, was that even with very modest admission charges, the organizers said they would raise funds for the benefit of our starving Macanese brethren in Shanghai. In fact, there was more malnutrition amongst ourselves in Macau, than there ever was in Shanghai!

43Colecção MOSAICO, Volume XXVIIREMINISCENCES OF A WARTIME REFUGEEYounger refugees from HK, generally managed to entertain themselves, living as it was, under “communal” conditions. Romances blossomed in those close quarters. Refugee center dances were very popular at different locations as allowed. Parties moved from one center to another, publicized to all by word of mouth. A couple of guitars, a couple of ukeleles, a mandolin, a set of drums and we were off. Romances were also often seen between Hong Kong folks and people from Macau. Macau men were enchanted with some HK girls who were sophisticated, worldly and with it. Hong Kong men always had an eye for the pretty girls of Macau. Quite a few “intermarriages” eventually took place and the mingling and mix of the Macanese people continued as it had for the nearly four hundred previous years. In sports, the Macau men dominated in field hockey, usually played on the Caixa Escolar fields. HK youth, both male and female, were good at softball. More strenuous

44FREDERIC (JIM) SILVAColecção MOSAICO, Volume XXVIIexertion under wartime conditions was not encouraged. Overall, the ever present lack of nourishing food was of some concern. At one time, there were rumors, never ever confirmed, that there was cannibalism going on in certain areas. Rumors circulated of the discovery of small human fingers, in bowls of “chicken” congee. I did not think it was true. Still, there were scary conditions and sights and cases of extreme malnutrition were there for all to see. Along the waterfront of the inner harbor (Porto Interior), way past the steamship docking areas, were some rows of tenement houses, with verandahs overhanging and shading the broad pedestrian ground level passageways. Here was a ‘‘dying” station, with row after row of emaciated bodies, lying alongside each other and awaiting their fate. On the following morning, the sanitary department trucks would come around to pick up those who had died during the night!

45Colecção MOSAICO, Volume XXVIIREMINISCENCES OF A WARTIME REFUGEEI actually witnessed this.For all refugees, those with British citizenship as well as those with Portuguese papers, there were always health problems. Clinics were freely open for all. A few HK Macanese doctors, as well as some Macau doctors and nurses, did what they could under the stress of medicines being in short supply most of the time. Illnesses were brought on, mainly because of the malnutrition that nearly all suffered from. Malaria, leg sores brought on by vitamin deficiencies, dysentery, and the much feared tuberculosis, were all part of this scene. I once visited the tuberculosis wing of the São Januário hospital. There was a wing reserved for HK Macanese refugee men that were suffering from the dreaded TB. They were all dressed alike, in their dark blue hospital gowns, to signify that they had the disease and that they were infectious. I had a young friend who died there then. Sadly not too many other TB patients survived the war.

46FREDERIC (JIM) SILVAColecção MOSAICO, Volume XXVII Chapter 7 THE SERVICES: THE ARMY, THE FIRE BRIGADE, THE POLICE FORCE The Army: The Macau Government had, in effect, a conscription system where every male Portuguese was required to do military service, on attaining the age of 20. This applied to all Macau residents, as well as to refugee men who were Portuguese citizens. All had to serve when they attained that age. On joining, the young men were assigned either to the “Infantaria” or to the “Artilharia”. Young refugee men did not find this at all bad. They now had clean new uniforms, a warm comfortable bed in the barracks, good nourishing food and Patacas 30 a month. It was like being in heaven.

47Colecção MOSAICO, Volume XXVIIREMINISCENCES OF A WARTIME REFUGEEFire Brigade: Very few refugee men served here. Those that did blended in well.Police: There were outbreaks of lawlessness from time to time. Armed gangs robbed shops and homes. Killings and political assassinations were fairly common. Police Commissioner Proença countered this by creating a heavily armed contingent called the “Secção Móvel” (Mobile division). A fast moving truck was reconstructed with heavy steel plates welded together all round. A machine gun was mounted facing the front. This was to be the quick answer to emergency calls anywhere within the city. A group of tough, young and hardened HK refugee policemen, were then trained to man this truck. They never failed to master any situation.After a robbery and firefight, the ambulance/ hearse teams would arrive to clean up the scene and pick up the dead and wounded robbers. Ambulance/hearse crews found it hard to

48FREDERIC (JIM) SILVAColecção MOSAICO, Volume XXVIIidentify the dead and wounded. Invariably these robbers always had their shoes, watches and wallets missing. The joke was that the men of the Secção Móvel squad from HK, were always among the best dressed men of Macau, when they subsequently appeared in their civilian clothes. Police Commissioner Proença, once had to answer to complaints that his men were unnecessarily trigger happy when on duty. He responded to this accusation with a new ruling. A policeman could fire at a fleeing fugitive, only after due warning. Firstly, he would have to shout “HALT”. If the fugitive continued to flee, the policeman would then be required to fire a shot into the air as a second warning. Only after this, if the fugitive continued to run off, would the policeman be allowed to fire at him. Sounded reasonable! However, one tough trigger happy policeman from HK was said to obey these regulations only in reverse order. He would shoot at the fugitive with his first round. If he hit him he would fire the second round into the air. Then he would shout “HALT”.

49Colecção MOSAICO, Volume XXVIIREMINISCENCES OF A WARTIME REFUGEEChapter 8 RETURNING HOME The end of our stay in Macau as refugees, came quite suddenly. Anyone following America’s Pacific naval progress could now point towards an upcoming Japan invasion: Iwo Jima, Okinawa and on to the mainland and Tokyo.But with the atom bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki there soon followed a quick total surrender. The war was over. Macau celebrated. Now we would return to our real homes. Refugees no more! For Hong Kong Macanese, there was a desire to return home as soon as possible. But there were problems like

50FREDERIC (JIM) SILVAColecção MOSAICO, Volume XXVIIhousing and jobs. Everyone had to plan for their own families and the immediate future, because not everyone had a job and a roof awaiting. It would take time and patience and work to be established back home again. Perhaps now, after the war has ended and after nearly seventy years have passed, we can stand apart and take stock of our ancestral home city. Like most reminiscences of this sort, there are pluses and minuses to consider. The life, fortunes and livelihood of nearly all inhabitants, Chinese and Macanese, have undoubtedly improved. Jobs seem to be plentiful. The new Casinos and the local CEO of the “Special Administrative Region” operate efficiently under the eyes of Peking. But sadly, much of the physical charm of an old colonial city has now disappeared with big new high rise casinos, operating under the glare of blazing neon lights. The crescent of the

51Colecção MOSAICO, Volume XXVIIREMINISCENCES OF A WARTIME REFUGEEold Praia Grande waterfront promenade, that was lined with banyan trees facing a muddy sea, has now been “improved” by a couple of man-made lakes, leading to a high observation tower.The seat of action then was the old native section, Avenida Almeida Ribeiro with the Central Hotel as a main attraction. The Pak Kap Pio (lottery) headquarters, on this same road, held a dramatic public drawing every day. Avenida Almeida Ribeira led off to a bustling Rua de Cinco Outubro. This area has now been superceded by new areas with shops and hotels and restaurants, clustered around the big casinos. Three bridges connect Macau to the islands of Taipa and Coloane now joined together by reclamation and known as the Cotai Strip. This area has yet another new complex of Casinos and Hotels.We miss the cobble stone streets, the narrow winding

52FREDERIC (JIM) SILVAColecção MOSAICO, Volume XXVIIlanes, old windows shuttered and darkened by opaque seashells. Rua da Felicidade, Rua Bocage, Travessa dos Cules, Praia do Manduco, these all bring back memories of old times and days.As refugees left Macau thoughts were then only on the immediate future. So perhaps, even now after so many years have passed, we can reminisce with others and pray and give belated thanks to a city, and a Government, and an institution, and a society, and so many individual people, for generous help and hospitality when we needed it most. Saudades!