Life in the Camps
In this section, I will discuss the conditions in the concentration and internment camps of Hong Kong, focusing largely on Stanley internment camp.
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The main camps
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Stanley internment camp
This was a civilian camp, in operation from Jan 1942 to Aug 1945. Around 2,800 prisoners were interned within St Stephen's College and the grounds of Stanley Prison.
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Sham Shui Po POW camp
This was for British, Indian, and Canadian soldiers. At the time of the Japanese surrender, it was the only POW camp left in Hong Kong, and was therefore the main POW camp through most of the war. Around Christmas 1942, many prisoners were taken to Japan to work in forced labour camps.
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There was a major diphtheria epidemic in 1942, and overall, many more died in the POW camps than in Stanley camp.
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Argyle Street camp
This was a camp that mostly held officer prisoners, and was one of the first camps to open following the Japanese occupation of Hong Kong. It closed down in Jan 1942, and all remaining prisoners were moved other camps, including Sham Shui Po and Ma Tau Chung.
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a: The prison officers' club b & c: Accommodation for internees d: The bowling green e: 'The Dutch Block' f: Main buildings of St. Stephen's College g: Martin Hostel in St. Stephen's College h: The mosque, for Indian warders in the prison i: Maryknoll j: Road from Repulse bay k: The Godowns where food was store l: The Indian quarters m: The fence of the camp
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(image and annotations from gwulo.com)
(images from gwulo.com)