The Screwjack Letters – No. 23 Exploring Hong Kong
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got back to the ship around midnight. Next morning an embarrassed officer told me that the Master at Arms had reported me for failing to salute the quarterdeck as I came aboard. This requirement was news to me. In the Army we only salute wearing a full uniform including headdress, but now I learnt that any serviceman has to salute in the direction of the stern when boarding a Royal Navy ship, even, for example, if he happens to be in pyjamas. I thought: People with these odd traditions sank the Bismarck, so I can’t object. I was then careful to salute the empty space on my right whenever I came aboard again. To be respectful to my hosts, I even adopted their eyeshade salute for it. Hong Kong tailor Chan Tuck arrived on board with pattern samples for suits. I decided to abandon the near-universal charcoal Grey of those days and choose something I can only describe as a subdued, fine check. I expect Saville Row know the proper name. The only decision now was turn-ups or not on the trousers. Men’s fashion in UK was only just beginning to eliminate turn-ups. I thought of Major Fergusson who caused such merriment with turn-ups on his battledress trousers at Sandhurst, and decided to have none on my suit. Chan Tuck said he would return next morning for a pinned trial fitting, then would be back the following day with the finished suit, including the waistcoat. He was as good as his word, and at a very reasonable price. Jeremy Sadler, an old pal at Sandhurst, was in Hong Kong learning Mandarin. We arranged to meet that afternoon. He had been commissioned into the RASC but was now in the Intelligence Corps. He had a problem. He was living with a Chinese family of which a member or friend had been killed in a road accident by a vehicle driven by a British serviceman. The British authorities had transferred the serviceman out of Hong Kong and Jeremy had become involved
on behalf of the local people by protesting in a Hong Kong newspaper. Sadly, I think he was sent home too. That evening I decided to explore the night club scene in the Wan Chai area. The clubs or bars seemed to consist of large areas with small tables and chairs where customers could order drinks from Waitresses who could join the table for the inflated price of their drink of coloured water. Recorded music for dancing was always played and The Beatles music was popular. Some of the bars sold dance tickets and you could then ask any of the girls for a dance. Otherwise you got the dance for the price of your Waitress’s drink, if she agreed. I think this also entailed buying her another glass of coloured water. I ordered a drink from one girl called Ah Tan and I asked who was the elderly Chinese lady sitting at one side. “She is our Mama San.” said Ah Tan, “It means Honoured Mother”. It all seemed very civilised, - charming, even. Some Americans in uniform with white helmets marked “SP” came in. Ah Tan said: “They Shore Patrol, and send Americans back to ship before midnight “. The SP left me alone. I was wearing a suit and tie, my head had some hair, and I didn’t look American. I decided that The World of Suzi Wong was the best club for me the next night. I sat at a table, ordered a drink and declined the Waitress’s offer to join me. I wanted to take in the scene. As you do. I worked out who was the Mama San and I introduced myself. I asked if she would like a drink. Mama San declined and sent a girl off on an errand. I talked to her about my trip and she invited me to have tea with her. After a few minutes we were joined by a girl a bit taller than most. I discovered later that she was of Thai/Malay parents in Malacca. She had wide almond eyes, a dazzling smile and black hair tied up in a Roman style. She wore a long, dark Red patterned cheongsam with a high Mandarin collar. Mama San said “This is Elizabeth” and I took her to my table. After a few drinks she said she was hungry. I asked what she would like. She said “Lychees”. I had never heard of Lye Cheese but I ordered some for both of us. I was pleasantly surprised by what arrived. Elizabeth said “Tomorrow I got two days off.” I asked if we could meet next day and she could show me around Hong Kong. She agreed. She said “You like to dance now?“ I had heard somewhere that officers of the British Army should seldom dance, but if they do, they should dance badly. Luckily, this came naturally to me. Despite this, she met me and we toured Hong Kong for the next two days after my Chan Tuck appointments. On the first day we went up to The Peak on a funicular railway and on the second we went on a sampan to the floating restaurant at Aberdeen Village. As we looked at the fleet of sampans I asked if I could take her photograph with my camera. Unfortunately, she only said “No, I take you” so here is her photo of me. Screwjack
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