An Uninformed Intelligence Officer

Heroes Remember

An Uninformed Intelligence Officer

Transcript

I was a so-called intelligence officer. I didn't know anything that was going on. All I remember was being called to a meeting, oh, Hong Kong time, the war started the morning of December the 8th and in this part of the world it was the afternoon of the 7th. I think it was only about two days before that that as the intelligence officer of the Grenadiers I got called to Command Headquarters to a meeting, and we were given a briefing which was very, very inadequate and, you know, mentioned that there were possibilities of troop movements and so on but there wasn't really anything that you could put your finger on. It wasn't until that Sunday evening I guess and we had had one, we had had one exercise where we had gone to man the positions that were our agreed positions as and when an invasion occurred. So we were familiar with that much at least where we had to go. And it wasn't until, my recollection is, Sunday afternoon or evening that we were told that the situation looked threatening and that we would leave for our positions which we did and just a few people were left at the barracks and they were bombed.

Description

Mr. Golden, as an Intelligence Officer, describes having received no information about the enemy's movements or intentions until one day prior to their attack.

David Golden

The third of four children, David Sinclair was born on February 22, 1920 in Sinclair, Manitoba. His father, an insurance salesman, moved the family to Vancouver, returning to Winnipeg when Mr. Golden was ten years old. In his third year at the University of Manitoba, he joined the Canadian Officer Training Corps. Mr. Golden missed his University graduation due to a May, 1941 call up by the Winnipeg Grenadiers. As a 2nd Lieutenant he served with the Grenadiers in Jamaica. After returning to Canada he was assigned as an intelligence officer to the Royal Rifles, with whom he went to Hong Kong. Mr. Golden was imprisoned in Hong Kong for the entire war. After returning to Canada, he practiced law.

Meta Data

Medium:: Video
Owner:: Veterans Affairs Canada
Recorded:: June 30, 1998
Duration:: 1:54
Person Interviewed:: David Golden
War, Conflict or Mission:: Second World War
Location/Theatre:: Hong Kong
Battle/Campaign:: Hong Kong
Branch:: Army
Units/Ship:: Winnipeg Grenadiers
Rank:: Lieutenant
Occupation:: Intelligence officer

Related Videos

I Was Poorly Trained!

Mr. Golden admits that his training fell short of what he felt was necessary to adequately perform his instructor's duties prior to his deployment to Hong Kong.

A Diary and the Fear of Death

Mr. Golden discusses keeping an illegal diary. His secret is discovered by the Japanese, the diary confiscated, and he lives in fear for his life for several days before realizing there will be no repercussions.

Hong Kong was not a Reign of Terror.

Mr. Golden contradicts the opinion of many POW's that there was a reign of terror in North Point and Sham Shui Po camps. He does, however, reiterate the claims of filth, disease, malnutrition and neglect.

Poor Rations

Mr. Golden describes a basic diet of weevil infested rice and vegetable green 'soup'. Supplements included oddities such as octopus, fish heads, and on one occasion, very unusual 'turkey'.

Cigarette Addiction

Mr. Golden discusses how addictive cigarettes eventually became to the prisoners, to the extent that even the malnourished and seriously ill would trade food for smokes.

Thoughts on Japan

Mr. Golden describes having no animosity towards the people of Japan in general. He does, however, harbor grievances against those who executed four North Point escapees, and those who denied prisoners access to Red Cross parcels and mail from home.

Date modified:: 2019-06-20