British Army Aid Group facts for kids
Quick facts for kids British Army Aid Group |
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|---|---|
| 英軍服務團 | |
| Active | 1942–1945 |
| Country | British Hong Kong |
| Allegiance | British Army Allies |
| Type | Para-military |
| British Army Aid Group | |
|---|---|
| Traditional Chinese | 英軍服務團 |
| Yale Romanization | Yīng gwān Fuhk mouh Tyùhn |
| Jyutping | Jing1 gwan1 Fuk6 mou6 Tyun4 |
The British Army Aid Group (B.A.A.G.) was a special group of British and Allied forces during World War II. They operated in southern China from 1942 to 1945. The B.A.A.G. was part of the British Army's MI9 unit. Their main job was to help prisoners of war (POWs) and civilians held by the Imperial Japanese Army to escape. They also gathered important information to help the war effort.
Contents
History of the B.A.A.G.
How the B.A.A.G. Started
After the Battle of Hong Kong, a professor named Sir Lindsay Ride was captured. He was a commander in the Hong Kong defence forces. But he managed to escape from a Japanese POW camp. He escaped to China with three trusted friends.
Once in China, Ride had an idea. He wanted to create a group to help the war effort. This group would support the Chinese and help the British. He suggested forming the British Army Aid Group. It would pretend to be a humanitarian aid group. But its real mission was to help POWs escape. It would also gather secret information.
General Archibald Wavell approved the idea. The War Office in London also agreed. The new group became part of MI9. MI9 was a special department that helped resistance groups. It also helped prisoners escape. Ride became the leader of this new group.
The B.A.A.G. set up its main office in Kukong (now Shaoguan). They had another base in Waichow (now Huizhou). The group officially started its work on June 6, 1942.
What the B.A.A.G. Did During the War
Most of the B.A.A.G.'s officers were Europeans with ties to Hong Kong. The agents who did the dangerous work were often local Hong Kong men and women. They risked their lives to fight for their home's freedom.
The B.A.A.G. also had an Indian Section. This was because many Indian Army prisoners were being forced to join the Japanese side. Major Dinesh Misra led this section. An Indian officer, Captain Mateen Ansari, helped the B.A.A.G. He was captured and executed by the Japanese. He later received the George Cross for his bravery.
Throughout the war, B.A.A.G. agents gathered information. They collected military, political, and economic details. This information was about Hong Kong and southern China. They also sent weather reports to the United States Army Air Forces. In return, the American planes dropped medical supplies into the camps.
The agents' main job was to help prisoners escape from Hong Kong. British, Commonwealth, and Indian soldiers who escaped were questioned by B.A.A.G. staff. Many of them then rejoined the war. Many escaped Hong Kong Chinese joined the Hong Kong Volunteer Company. This unit fought in the Burma Campaign.
The B.A.A.G. also helped civilians and soldiers in Southern China. Their hospital treated about 30,000 Chinese people every year. During a famine in 1943, they fed up to 6,000 people daily.
The B.A.A.G. continued its work even after Japan surrendered. It finally closed down on December 31, 1945. At the end of the war, Sir Lindsay Ride designed a special badge for the group. It showed a scarlet pimpernel flower. This was a nod to the hero in The Scarlet Pimpernel novels. That hero helped prisoners escape during the French Revolution. However, this badge was never officially recognized.
The B.A.A.G. played many important roles. They helped people escape, gathered vital information, and provided aid. Their work was dangerous, and many agents were caught and suffered. But their bravery helped thousands of people. The B.A.A.G. showed that Hong Kong people were not forgotten. They were actively fighting for their freedom.
See also
