Description:

THE JAPANESE SURRENDER OF HONG KONG TO THE BRITISH, SIGNED BY THE BRITISH AND JAPANESE REPRESENTATIVES
On the same morning as the attack on Pearl Harbor, December 8, 1941 (local), forces of the Empire of Japan attacked the British Crown Colony of Hong Kong. The attack was in violation of international law as Japan had not declared war against the British Empire. The Hong Kong garrison consisted of British, Indian and Canadian units in addition to Chinese soldiers and conscripts from both within and outside Hong Kong. The valiant defenders were overcome by vastly superior Japanese forces after 18 days of fierce fighting. During the ensuing three and a half years of occupation by the Japanese, an estimated 10,000 Hong Kong civilians and British and Commonwealth prisoners of war were executed, while many others were tortured, raped, or mutilated. In December 1941, a group of Japanese soldiers killed ten Red Cross stretcher bearers at Wong Nai Chung Gap despite the fact that the stretcher bearers all wore the Red Cross armband. Other notable massacres include the St. Stephen's College massacre, and a mass murder at Mui Wo. Japan effectively surrendered on 15 August 1945 following the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. As soon as he heard word of the Japanese surrender, Franklin Gimson, Hong Kong's colonial secretary, left his prison camp and declared himself the territory's acting governor. British Rear Admiral Sir CECIL HALLIDAY JEPSON HARCOURT (1892-1959) sailed into Hong Kong on board the cruiser HMS SWIFTSURE to re-establish the British government's military control over the colony. On 16 September 1945, he formally accepted the Japanese surrender from Major General UMEKICHI OKADA (1891-1967) and Vice Admiral RUITARO FUJITA at Government House. Offered her is a contemporarily-signed copy of the Japanese surrender of Hong Kong, 13 x 14 inches, signed by the three original signatories on the same day or very soon after the Japanese surrender of the city. In the early 1980s, Sotheby's offered this same document at auction, and an image of the original description and its bill of sale to our consignor are available. The description reads, in part: "The Property of F. H. T. Panter D.S.C., R.N. (Retd) HONG KONG. THE INSTRUMENT OF SURRENDER OF HONG KONG BY THE JAPANESE, 16 SEPTEMBER 1945, signed and sealed by Major General Umekichi Okada and Vice Admiral Ruitaro Fujita who, on behalf of the Emperor of Japan and the Imperial Japanese Headquarters, "do hereby unconditionally surrender ourselves and all forces under our control to Rear Admiral Cecil Halliday Jepson Harcourt, C.B., C.B.E., and undertake to carry out all such instructions as may be given by him or under his authority, and to issue all necessary orders for the purpose of giving effect to all his instructions�", counter-signed twice by Harcourt as witness on behalf of the Government of the United Kingdom and of the Commander-in-Chief, China Theatre, 1 page, folio, the text type-written�Government House, Hong Kong, 16 September 1945. This document was given by Admiral Harcourt to the present owner, who was then serving as Damage Officer on H.M.S. Anson, with responsibility for re-opening the dockyard. It is interesting to note that the surrender is made to Admiral Harcourt in person, and not as representative of the British Government or the Commander-in-Chief. A photograph of the signing is included in the lot." The document is accompanied by the original ca. 1940s envelope which contains Panter's original photo of the surrender ceremony. Frank H. T. Panter (1906-2000) was a hero in his own right. According to his obituary, during World War II, Panter served in many of the fiercest-fought combat areas in the Atlantic, Mediterranean and the Far East. He was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross as the Damage Control Officer aboard HMS AJAX at the Battle of the River Plate. He was thrown into the air when one of the 11 inch shells from the GRAF SPEE crashed into the AJAX. Panter was in service aboard the HMS ANSON which joined the Pacific Fleet for the final stages of the war, and he witnessed the surrender of the Japanese in Hong Kong. This historic document has resided in the same prestigious collection for over thirty years, and has not been offered for sale since its purchase. An exceptional item of great historic importance. Photographs for illustrative purposes only and not included.

Accepted Forms of Payment:

American Express, Discover, MasterCard, Money Order / Cashiers Check, Paypal, Personal Check, Visa, Wire Transfer

Shipping

Shipments are sent via USPS Priority, USPS International Priority, FedEx and DHL (for most overseas shipments) or FedEx Ground at the auctioneer's option, signature is always required, unless other arrangements are made. Handling and shipping charges will be added to the invoice in one entry. Buyers should be aware that large, framed, fragile or odd shaped items can incur substantial shipping and packing charges. International shipments are invoiced by DIMENSIONAL weight, not the item weight. Please contact us for an estimate before bidding NOTE: Large, heavy or bulky items may not be shipped by the auctioneer - arrangements for shipping of these items via a third-party shipper may be arranged through the auction house. Customers who supply their own courier account number will still be charged a handling fee. Please allow 2-3 weeks for shipments after receipt of payment due to the high volume of packages being shipped.

June 9, 2020 12:00 PM EDT
Chesapeake City, MD, US

Alexander Historical Auctions LLC

You agree to pay a buyer's premium of up to 25% and any applicable taxes and shipping.

View full terms and conditions

Bid Increments
From: To: Increments:
$0 $99 $10
$100 $499 $20
$500 $999 $50
$1,000 $1,999 $100
$2,000 $4,999 $250
$5,000 $9,999 $500
$10,000 $19,999 $1,000
$20,000 $49,999 $2,500
$50,000 $99,999 $5,000
$100,000 + $10,000