Ronald Holmes
Encyclopedia
Sir David Ronald Holmes, CMG, CBE, MC
, ED
, JP
was a British
colonial government official who served in Hong Kong
from 1938. In the Second World War, he was assigned to the British Army Aid Group
where he actively took part in a series of guerilla actions in the Far East
to resist the Japanese Army
and to rescue prisoners of war from the Japanese detention camps. His contribution was recognized by the British government and he was decorated for a number of times. After the war, Holmes played a significant role in reconstructing Hong Kong. In 1954, he was appointed to establish the Resettlement Department, a governmental department which was responsible for constructing resettlement estate
s for the homeless refugees. Later on he successively served as the Director of Urban Services, the New Territories' District Commissioner and the Director of Commerce and Industry.
In 1966, Holmes replaced John McDouall as the Secretary for Chinese Affairs
but not long after, the 1967 Leftist Riots broke out. During the riot, he was noted for taking control of the situation as the acting-Colonial Secretary
, efficiently took command in the government and adopted a hard-line policy towards the Communists. Holmes continued to serve when the post of the Secretary for Chinese Affairs was renamed into the Secretary for Home Affairs
in 1969 and he eventually stepped down in 1971. Afterwards, he immediately became the chairman of the Public Service Commission
, a post he served until 1977 when he left Hong Kong.
When Holmes was serving in the government of Hong Kong
, he was also successively appointed as official member of the Urban Council, Legislative Council
and Executive Council
. Among them, he had served for a decade in total in the Legislative Council. For his public service to Hong Kong, he was knighted in 1973.
. His parents were Louis James Holmes and Emily Sutcliffe of Brighouse
, West Yorkshire
. In his youth, he studied in Bradford Grammar School
and was later graduated from Sidney Sussex College, Cambridge
. He once served as an Officer Cadet
in the Senior Division of the Cambridge University Contingent and was promoted to the rank of Second Lieutenant
in 1935. After the promotion, he briefly served in the Infantry Unit of the Contingent but retired in October 1936. In 1938, Holmes was employed by the government of Hong Kong as a cadet
. At the time before the war, he was the Assistant Secretary for Chinese Affairs and learnt to speak fluent Cantonese.
In December 1941, the Pacific War
broke out and the Japanese Army
started an unexpected invasion to Hong Kong. During the Battle of Hong Kong
, Holmes belonged to the British Forces Overseas Hong Kong
but was soon summoned to serve under the Special Operations Executive
(SOE). His major duty was to attack the Japanese army from the rear area. However, when then Governor
Sir Mark Young
surrendered on 25 December, Holmes successfully managed himself to flee to the mainland China
. Thus he was not caught by the Japanese Army and was not a prisoner of war throughout the Second World War. Unfortunately, his only brother, Captain Leslie Benjamin Holmes (1905 – 1941) of the Hong Kong Volunteer Defence Corps, was not that lucky as he was killed in action in Hong Kong on 19 December. He died at the early age of 36 and left his widow, Marguerite Julia Holmes, of Ramsbury
, Wiltshire
. Today, his grave can still be found in the Stanley Military Cemetery
.
in early 1942 to unite with the British delegates in China. Later on, he was ordered to drive (later Sir) John Keswick, the First Secretary of the British Consulate-General Chongqing, and the consulate's attaché, Brigadier Gordon Edward Grimsdale to Shaoguan
, Guangdong
for a special mission to discuss with General Yu Hanmou
, the Chinese
Commander-in-Chief of the Seventh War Zone about the feasibility of establishing a British Army Aid Group
to resist the Japanese invasion on a joint basis. Throughout the negotiation, Holmes worked as the translator for the British as well. Shortly afterwards, Colonel (later Sir) Lindsay Ride
, a prisoner of war from the Japanese concentration camp in Hong Kong, successfully made his escape and arrived at Chongqing. As a result, Ride officially formed the British Army Aid Group in July 1942. Both Holmes and Paul Tsui (徐家祥), a close friend Holmes newly met in Shaoguan, joined the group in November and were immediately sent to station in Dong River, Huizhou
.
During in Huiyang, Holmes was under the command of Colonel (later Sir) Douglas Clague
. He was assigned to deal with external affairs and to cooperate closely with the guerillas of the East River Column (東江縱隊). With the help from the guerillas, Holmes had organized a number of rescue plans trying to save the prisoners of war from the Japanese concentration camps and had conducted espionage in the Japanese-occupied region. According to the recollection of Paui Tsui, Holmes and his companions once secretly entered Hong Kong and reached the foot of Lion Rock
. From the foot of the mountain, he used binoculars
to spy the concentration camp far away in To Kwa Wan
regardless the potential danger of being discovered by the Japanese. Fortunately, although Holmes was a Westerner, the Japanese had never recognized that the fluent Cantonese speaker was in fact a British. Tsui explained the reason was because Holmes was not huge physically and with the disguise of wearing bamboo hat and gray linen clothing, he just looked the same as a common Chinese farmer. His bravery was appreciated by the British government that he was awarded a Military Cross
in early 1943 and was made a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) of the Military Division a few months later. It was rare at that time to be decorated twice in a single year.
In 1944, Holmes was promoted to the rank of Major
and was responsible for supervising the frontier post in Huizhou. By then Holmes had become a very good friend of Tsui. On one occasion, he even sent his only suit
to Tsui for the use in Tsui's wedding. After the war, under the recommendation of Holmes, Tsui further became the first ethnic Chinese to be appointed a cadet and followed Holmes in the government of Hong Kong. In the end of 1944, Holmes applied for leave of absence and travelled to Australia
. He remained in there until the end of the war.
Sir Cecil Harcourt, all the civil affairs were in charge by David Mercer Macdougall
, the Chief Civil Affairs Officer dispatched from London
, and Claude Bramall Burgess
, a government cadet who was imprisoned by the Japanese during the war. Besides, Holmes and his former colleague Edmund Brinsley Teesdale were responsible for all the matters in the provisional Colonial Secretariat. In order to assist him in dealing with the affairs in New Territories
, Holmes also appointed Paul Tsui as the Assistant District Officer, New Territories.
When the provisional military government ceased to function in May 1946, Hong Kong re-established its own civil government. In the early postwar years, Holmes continued to serve in the Colonial Secretariat and was the Deputy Clerk of both the Legislative and Executive Councils from 1946 to 1947. After that, he was sent to the Imperial Defence College in London by the government for advanced study. Upon returning to Hong Kong, he rejoined the government and worked in different capacities including the Deputy Secretary for Chinese Affairs. In July 1951, he became the acting Social Welfare Officer of the Secretariat for Chinese Affairs while the holder of the position, John McDouall was absent. When McDouall resumed in 1952, Holmes was appointed to different posts including the Clerk of the Executive and Legislative Councils.
In December 1953, a major fire destroyed the slum area in Shek Kip Mei
that more than 50,000 refugees were made homeless. After the disaster, then Governor Sir Alexander Grantham
ordered Holmes to establish the Resettlement Department and appointed him as the Deputy Colonial Secretary
and the first Commissioner of Resettlement. In order to resettle the homeless refugees in a short period of time, he took the lead to construct a number of resettlement estates on the burnt ground in Shek Kip Mei and in its neighboring area. Some of the notable examples included Shek Kip Mei Estate
and Tai Hang Tung Estate
. Since the creation of the Resettlement Department, constructing public housing estate
for resettling the poor people had become one of the primary policy goals set by the government in postwar Hong Kong. On the other hand, Holmes was also an official member of the Urban Council during his tenure as the Commissioner of Resettlement. In October 1955, when he succeeded the retired Harold Giles Richards as the Director of Urban Services, he stepped down from the Resettlement Department but was also appointed official member of the Legislative Council
. His original post of the Commissioner of Resettlement was succeeded by John Walden
. During his tenure as the Director of Urban Services, Holmes witnessed the expansion of the Council that the number of unofficial members was increased to eight in 1956. It was the first time in history that unofficial member occupied half of the seats in the Council. However, the demand on further reform was not satisfied by the expansion, and therefore the relationship between the unofficial members and the government became worsening under his term of office.
In 1958, Holmes left the Urban and Legislative Councils and replaced Kenneth Barnett as the District Commissioner, New Territories. His tenure as the District Commissioner witnessed the end of a long-time discord between the government and the Heung Yee Kuk
, the non-governmental advisory body in New Territories
formed by the indigenous inhabitant
s. Before his appointment, the Kuk had been split by internal dispute over land issue since 1957 and the government had ceased to recognize the Kuk due to its disorder. In the 13th Heung Yee Kuk election in 1959, the Kuk was once again torn into two factions and there was severe and heated quarrel over the election. Throughout the election dispute, Holmes played a key role to pacify both sides and took an active role to reconcile the dispute successfully. Later in December 1959, with the help of Holmes, the government passed the Heung Yee Kuk Ordinance which officially granted the statutory advisory status to the Kuk, thus effectively comforted the Kuk. In 1962, Holmes was promoted to the post of the Director of Commerce and Industry and was made a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in the New Year's Honours List. His term as Director of Commerce and Industry coincided with the blooming of the local textile industry
and he paid a number of visits to different European countries aiming at negotiating trade
agreement on textile and expanding the overseas market for the textile industry of Hong Kong. From May to August 1964, Holmes was on vacation so his Deputy Director, Terence Dare Sorby, acted for his position during his absence. By July of the same year, then Governor Sir David Trench reorganized the Legislative Council
and the holder of the Director of Commerce and Industry was admitted to the Council as an official member. Therefore, Sorby also became an acting official member of the Legislative Council until the return of Holmes in August. It was the second time for Holmes to be appointed to the Legislative Council and soon afterwards he was further appointed as an official member of the Executive Council
in 1965, thus becoming a much relied official member in the two Councils.
In late 1966, the then Secretary for Chinese Affairs
, John McDouall, retired to the United Kingdom and Holmes was chosen to succeed the post which McDouall had served for a decade. Nevertheless, at the time of his promotion the Cultural Revolution
had just broken out in the mainland China
and the situation of Hong Kong had become increasingly unstable. In the following year, Hong Kong was finally hit by the outbreak of the 1967 Leftist Riots, a series of riots which was triggered by a labour dispute. During the disorder, Governor Sir David Trench happened to be absent from Hong Kong and all of a sudden there was no one fully in command of the government. As a result, then Colonial Secretary
, Sir Michael Gass
, became acting-Governor and Holmes became acting-Colonial Secretary, and therefore it was Holmes and Gass who were in charge in the crisis. At the beginning of the riot, there were only general strike
s in Hong Kong but the situation worsened quickly when the Communists started to put pipe bomb
s on the streets. The presence of pipe bombs was a big blow to Hong Kong as it roused public fear, while the British government and the Hong Kong government secretly discussed whether or not to abandon the Crown Colony
. It was said that Holmes strongly resisted the idea of retreat in the Executive Council, and he successfully persuaded the British to stay. Under the leadership of Holmes, the government adopted a hard-line policy towards the Communists and called on the general public to denounce the leftists. Finally, the rioting ended in late 1967, and the tough stance held by Holmes was deeply appreciated by the government.
After the riot, Trench recognised the necessity to implement further reform of the government. So, with the assistance from Holmes, the government began a City District Officer Scheme in May 1968 which was based on the existing District Officer system in the New Territories. Under the new scheme, Hong Kong Island
and Kowloon
were divided into 10 different districts. Each district had a District Office where the District Officer concerned could collect public opinions, receive complaints and provide advice and quick responses. This scheme effectively drew the relationship between the government and the general public closer than it used to be, as the general public could easily express their needs and demands to the District Officer nearby. Alongside the reform, the Secretariat for Chinese Affairs was reorganized into the Home Affairs Department
in February 1969 while the post of the Secretary for Chinese Affairs was renamed into the Secretary for Home Affairs
. Holmes continued to serve after the reorganization and was made a Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George (CMG) in the same year. Before retiring from the Home Affairs Department, he had been focusing on the legislation on abolishing polygyny
. Yet, such legislation was completed in October 1971, five months after his retirement from the civil service.
in November 1971 and received his knighthood from Queen Elizabeth II in Buckingham Palace
on 13 July 1973. He finally retired from the Commission in May 1977 and began his quiet retirement with his family in Corfu
, Greece
. In May 1981, Holmes and his wife paid a visit to his old friends in Hong Kong. He felt unwell during the visit and was admitted to the Queen Mary Hospital
for a few weeks. The couple continued their visit after his recovery. Unfortunately, upon returning to Greece, Holmes became very sick and died in a hospital on Corfu on 14 June 1981, aged 67.
After his death, he was mourned by many in Hong Kong while then Governor of Hong Kong
, (later Lord) Sir Murray MacLehose praised him as a loyal civil servant who devoted to the affairs of Hong Kong both in the time of war and peace. His memorial service in Hong Kong was held in St. John's Cathedral
on 19 June. Besides the Governor and Chief Secretary
, Sir Jack Cater
, many of his friends such as Paul Tsui and Denis Campbell Bray, the Secretary for Home Affairs, attended the service. Both the Governor and Bray delivered their memorial speeches in the service in which Bray described Holmes as "one of the founders of postwar Hong Kong" who was also an important mediator to the government in 1950s
and 1960s
. Apart from the memorial speeches, an article recollecting the wartime life of Holmes was specially written by Paul Tsui as well. In London, another memorial service was held in St Paul's, Covent Garden
on 14 July 1981 and it was attended by Lady Holmes. The remains of Holmes were buried in the British Cemetery on Corfu.
in Japan
, when he was on holiday in Australia in 1944. They were married at St. John's Church, Toorak, Victoria
, at 11:00 am on 31 January 1945. The couple had two sons and the whole family moved to Corfu in 1977. Sir Ronald's hobbies included reading, travel and golf
. He was a member of the Travellers Club
in London and the Hong Kong Club
and the Royal Hong Kong Jockey Club in Hong Kong.
Military Cross
The Military Cross is the third-level military decoration awarded to officers and other ranks of the British Armed Forces; and formerly also to officers of other Commonwealth countries....
, ED
Efficiency Decoration
The Efficiency Decoration is a defunct medal of Britain and the Commonwealth awarded for long service in the Territorial Army of the UK, the Indian Volunteer Forces and Colonial Auxiliary Forces....
, JP
Justice of the Peace
A justice of the peace is a puisne judicial officer elected or appointed by means of a commission to keep the peace. Depending on the jurisdiction, they might dispense summary justice or merely deal with local administrative applications in common law jurisdictions...
was a British
British people
The British are citizens of the United Kingdom, of the Isle of Man, any of the Channel Islands, or of any of the British overseas territories, and their descendants...
colonial government official who served in Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
from 1938. In the Second World War, he was assigned to the British Army Aid Group
British Army Aid Group
The British Army Aid Group was a para-military organisation for British and allied forces in Southern China during the Second World War. The BAAG was officially classified in the British Army's order of battle as a MI9 unit that was responsible for assisting prisoners of war to escape from the...
where he actively took part in a series of guerilla actions in the Far East
Far East
The Far East is an English term mostly describing East Asia and Southeast Asia, with South Asia sometimes also included for economic and cultural reasons.The term came into use in European geopolitical discourse in the 19th century,...
to resist the Japanese Army
Imperial Japanese Army
-Foundation:During the Meiji Restoration, the military forces loyal to the Emperor were samurai drawn primarily from the loyalist feudal domains of Satsuma and Chōshū...
and to rescue prisoners of war from the Japanese detention camps. His contribution was recognized by the British government and he was decorated for a number of times. After the war, Holmes played a significant role in reconstructing Hong Kong. In 1954, he was appointed to establish the Resettlement Department, a governmental department which was responsible for constructing resettlement estate
Public housing in Hong Kong
Public housing in Hong Kong is a set of mass housing programmes through which the Government of Hong Kong provides affordable housing for lower-income residents. It is a major component of housing in Hong Kong, with nearly half of the population now residing in some form of public housing...
s for the homeless refugees. Later on he successively served as the Director of Urban Services, the New Territories' District Commissioner and the Director of Commerce and Industry.
In 1966, Holmes replaced John McDouall as the Secretary for Chinese Affairs
Secretary for Home Affairs
The Secretary for Home Affairs is the head of the Home Affairs Bureau of the Government of Hong Kong, which is responsible for local issues, and the provision of community, leisure, and cultural services.-List of office holders:*Donald Luddington 1971-1973...
but not long after, the 1967 Leftist Riots broke out. During the riot, he was noted for taking control of the situation as the acting-Colonial Secretary
Chief Secretary
The Chief Secretary is the title of a senior civil servant in members of the Commonwealth of Nations, and, historically, in the British Empire. Prior to the dissolution of the colonies, the Chief Secretary was the second most important official in a colony of the British Empire after the...
, efficiently took command in the government and adopted a hard-line policy towards the Communists. Holmes continued to serve when the post of the Secretary for Chinese Affairs was renamed into the Secretary for Home Affairs
Secretary for Home Affairs
The Secretary for Home Affairs is the head of the Home Affairs Bureau of the Government of Hong Kong, which is responsible for local issues, and the provision of community, leisure, and cultural services.-List of office holders:*Donald Luddington 1971-1973...
in 1969 and he eventually stepped down in 1971. Afterwards, he immediately became the chairman of the Public Service Commission
Civil Service Commission
-Chairmen:*John Houghton MHK, 2004-date*George Waft MLC, 1996-2004*Clare Christian MLC, 1981-1982*Noel Cringle MLC, 1992-1996*Walter Gilbey, years unknown...
, a post he served until 1977 when he left Hong Kong.
When Holmes was serving in the government of Hong Kong
Government of Hong Kong
The Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China, commonly the Hong Kong Government, is led by the Chief Executive as Head of the Government, who is also the head of the Hong Kong SAR...
, he was also successively appointed as official member of the Urban Council, Legislative Council
Legislative Council of Hong Kong
The Legislative Council is the unicameral legislature of Hong Kong.-History:The Legislative Council of Hong Kong was set up in 1843 as a colonial legislature under British rule...
and Executive Council
Executive Council of Hong Kong
The Executive Council of Hong Kong is a core policy-making organ in the executive branch of the government of Hong Kong.. The Chief Executive of Hong Kong serves as its President.The Executive Council normally meets once a week...
. Among them, he had served for a decade in total in the Legislative Council. For his public service to Hong Kong, he was knighted in 1973.
Early years
Holmes was born on 26 December 1913 in the United KingdomUnited Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. His parents were Louis James Holmes and Emily Sutcliffe of Brighouse
Brighouse
Brighouse is a town within the Metropolitan Borough of Calderdale, in West Yorkshire, England. It is situated on the River Calder, east of Halifax in the Pennines. It is served by Junction 25 of the M62 motorway and Brighouse railway station on the Caldervale Line and Huddersfield Line. In the...
, West Yorkshire
West Yorkshire
West Yorkshire is a metropolitan county within the Yorkshire and the Humber region of England with a population of 2.2 million. West Yorkshire came into existence as a metropolitan county in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972....
. In his youth, he studied in Bradford Grammar School
Bradford Grammar School
Bradford Grammar School is a co-educational, independent school in Frizinghall, Bradford, West Yorkshire. Headmaster, Stephen Davidson is a member of the Headmasters' and Headmistresses' Conference . The school was founded in 1548 and granted its Charter by King Charles II in 1662...
and was later graduated from Sidney Sussex College, Cambridge
Sidney Sussex College, Cambridge
Sidney Sussex College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge in England.The college was founded in 1596 and named after its foundress, Frances Sidney, Countess of Sussex. It was from its inception an avowedly Puritan foundation: some good and godlie moniment for the mainteynance...
. He once served as an Officer Cadet
Officer Cadet
Officer cadet is a rank held by military and merchant navy cadets during their training to become commissioned officers and merchant navy officers, respectively. The term officer trainee is used interchangeably in some countries...
in the Senior Division of the Cambridge University Contingent and was promoted to the rank of Second Lieutenant
Second Lieutenant
Second lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer military rank in many armed forces.- United Kingdom and Commonwealth :The rank second lieutenant was introduced throughout the British Army in 1871 to replace the rank of ensign , although it had long been used in the Royal Artillery, Royal...
in 1935. After the promotion, he briefly served in the Infantry Unit of the Contingent but retired in October 1936. In 1938, Holmes was employed by the government of Hong Kong as a cadet
Cadet
A cadet is a trainee to become an officer in the military, often a person who is a junior trainee. The term comes from the term "cadet" for younger sons of a noble family.- Military context :...
. At the time before the war, he was the Assistant Secretary for Chinese Affairs and learnt to speak fluent Cantonese.
In December 1941, the Pacific War
Pacific War
The Pacific War, also sometimes called the Asia-Pacific War refers broadly to the parts of World War II that took place in the Pacific Ocean, its islands, and in East Asia, then called the Far East...
broke out and the Japanese Army
Imperial Japanese Army
-Foundation:During the Meiji Restoration, the military forces loyal to the Emperor were samurai drawn primarily from the loyalist feudal domains of Satsuma and Chōshū...
started an unexpected invasion to Hong Kong. During the Battle of Hong Kong
Battle of Hong Kong
The Battle of Hong Kong took place during the Pacific campaign of World War II. It began on 8 December 1941 and ended on 25 December 1941 with Hong Kong, then a Crown colony, surrendering to the Empire of Japan.-Background:...
, Holmes belonged to the British Forces Overseas Hong Kong
British Forces Overseas Hong Kong
British Forces Overseas Hong Kong consisted of the elements of the British Army, Royal Navy and Royal Air Force. Much of the British military left Hong Kong prior to the handover in 1997. The present article focuses mainly on the British garrison in Hong Kong in the post Second World War era...
but was soon summoned to serve under the Special Operations Executive
Special Operations Executive
The Special Operations Executive was a World War II organisation of the United Kingdom. It was officially formed by Prime Minister Winston Churchill and Minister of Economic Warfare Hugh Dalton on 22 July 1940, to conduct guerrilla warfare against the Axis powers and to instruct and aid local...
(SOE). His major duty was to attack the Japanese army from the rear area. However, when then Governor
Governor of Hong Kong
The Governor of Hong Kong was the head of the government of Hong Kong during British rule from 1843 to 1997. The governor's roles were defined in the Hong Kong Letters Patent and Royal Instructions...
Sir Mark Young
Mark Aitchison Young
Sir Mark Aitchison Young, GCMG was a British administrator who became the Governor of Hong Kong during the years immediately before and after the Japanese occupation of the territory.-Early life, service in war:...
surrendered on 25 December, Holmes successfully managed himself to flee to the mainland China
Mainland China
Mainland China, the Chinese mainland or simply the mainland, is a geopolitical term that refers to the area under the jurisdiction of the People's Republic of China . According to the Taipei-based Mainland Affairs Council, the term excludes the PRC Special Administrative Regions of Hong Kong and...
. Thus he was not caught by the Japanese Army and was not a prisoner of war throughout the Second World War. Unfortunately, his only brother, Captain Leslie Benjamin Holmes (1905 – 1941) of the Hong Kong Volunteer Defence Corps, was not that lucky as he was killed in action in Hong Kong on 19 December. He died at the early age of 36 and left his widow, Marguerite Julia Holmes, of Ramsbury
Ramsbury
Ramsbury is a village in Ramsbury and Axford civil parish in the English county of Wiltshire. The village is in the Kennet Valley near the Berkshire boundary. The nearest towns are Hungerford about east and Marlborough about west. The much larger town of Swindon is about to the north.The civil...
, Wiltshire
Wiltshire
Wiltshire is a ceremonial county in South West England. It is landlocked and borders the counties of Dorset, Somerset, Hampshire, Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire. It contains the unitary authority of Swindon and covers...
. Today, his grave can still be found in the Stanley Military Cemetery
Stanley Military Cemetery
Stanley Military Cemetery is located near St. Stephen Bay in Stanley, Hong Kong. It is the only military cemetery of the early colonial era, used for the burials of the members of the garrison and their families between 1841 and 1866...
.
British Army Aid Group
After fleeing from Hong Kong, Holmes finally reached ChongqingChongqing
Chongqing is a major city in Southwest China and one of the five national central cities of China. Administratively, it is one of the PRC's four direct-controlled municipalities , and the only such municipality in inland China.The municipality was created on 14 March 1997, succeeding the...
in early 1942 to unite with the British delegates in China. Later on, he was ordered to drive (later Sir) John Keswick, the First Secretary of the British Consulate-General Chongqing, and the consulate's attaché, Brigadier Gordon Edward Grimsdale to Shaoguan
Shaoguan
Shaoguan , historically known as Shaokwan and Shao-chow, is a prefecture-level city in the north of Southern China's Guangdong province...
, Guangdong
Guangdong
Guangdong is a province on the South China Sea coast of the People's Republic of China. The province was previously often written with the alternative English name Kwangtung Province...
for a special mission to discuss with General Yu Hanmou
Yu Hanmou
General Yu Hanmou was a KMT general from Guangdong. He was the Commander in Chief of the Chinese 12th Army Group from 1938 to 1944. He commanded the defense of Guangdong in the Canton Operation and 1939-40 Winter Offensive. Later in 1944 until the end of the war, he commanded the 7th War Area,...
, the Chinese
Republic of China
The Republic of China , commonly known as Taiwan , is a unitary sovereign state located in East Asia. Originally based in mainland China, the Republic of China currently governs the island of Taiwan , which forms over 99% of its current territory, as well as Penghu, Kinmen, Matsu and other minor...
Commander-in-Chief of the Seventh War Zone about the feasibility of establishing a British Army Aid Group
British Army Aid Group
The British Army Aid Group was a para-military organisation for British and allied forces in Southern China during the Second World War. The BAAG was officially classified in the British Army's order of battle as a MI9 unit that was responsible for assisting prisoners of war to escape from the...
to resist the Japanese invasion on a joint basis. Throughout the negotiation, Holmes worked as the translator for the British as well. Shortly afterwards, Colonel (later Sir) Lindsay Ride
Lindsay Tasman Ride
Sir Lindsay Tasman Ride CBE, Hon RAM , was an Australian physiologist and soldier who became the 5th Vice Chancellor of the University of Hong Kong.-Early life:...
, a prisoner of war from the Japanese concentration camp in Hong Kong, successfully made his escape and arrived at Chongqing. As a result, Ride officially formed the British Army Aid Group in July 1942. Both Holmes and Paul Tsui (徐家祥), a close friend Holmes newly met in Shaoguan, joined the group in November and were immediately sent to station in Dong River, Huizhou
Huizhou
Huizhou , historically known as Waichow, is a city located in central Guangdong province of the People's Republic of China. Part of the Pearl River Delta, Huizhou borders the provincial capital of Guangzhou to the west, Shaoguan to the north, Heyuan to the northeast, Shanwei to the east, Shenzhen...
.
Douglas Clague
Colonel The Honorable Sir Douglas Clague CBE, MC, QPM, CPM, TD was a British soldier and entrepreneur who spent most of his life in Hong Kong.He was born in Rhodesia ....
. He was assigned to deal with external affairs and to cooperate closely with the guerillas of the East River Column (東江縱隊). With the help from the guerillas, Holmes had organized a number of rescue plans trying to save the prisoners of war from the Japanese concentration camps and had conducted espionage in the Japanese-occupied region. According to the recollection of Paui Tsui, Holmes and his companions once secretly entered Hong Kong and reached the foot of Lion Rock
Lion Rock
Lion Rock, or less formally Lion Rock Hill, is a famous hill in Hong Kong. It is located between Kowloon Tong in Kowloon and Tai Wai in the New Territories, and is 495 metres high...
. From the foot of the mountain, he used binoculars
Binoculars
Binoculars, field glasses or binocular telescopes are a pair of identical or mirror-symmetrical telescopes mounted side-by-side and aligned to point accurately in the same direction, allowing the viewer to use both eyes when viewing distant objects...
to spy the concentration camp far away in To Kwa Wan
To Kwa Wan
To Kwa Wan is a bay and an area of the eastern shore of Kowloon peninsula of Hong Kong. The area is part of urban Hong Kong, and is adjacent to Hok Yuen, Hung Hom, Ma Tau Wai and Ma Tau Kok...
regardless the potential danger of being discovered by the Japanese. Fortunately, although Holmes was a Westerner, the Japanese had never recognized that the fluent Cantonese speaker was in fact a British. Tsui explained the reason was because Holmes was not huge physically and with the disguise of wearing bamboo hat and gray linen clothing, he just looked the same as a common Chinese farmer. His bravery was appreciated by the British government that he was awarded a Military Cross
Military Cross
The Military Cross is the third-level military decoration awarded to officers and other ranks of the British Armed Forces; and formerly also to officers of other Commonwealth countries....
in early 1943 and was made a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) of the Military Division a few months later. It was rare at that time to be decorated twice in a single year.
In 1944, Holmes was promoted to the rank of Major
Major
Major is a rank of commissioned officer, with corresponding ranks existing in almost every military in the world.When used unhyphenated, in conjunction with no other indicator of rank, the term refers to the rank just senior to that of an Army captain and just below the rank of lieutenant colonel. ...
and was responsible for supervising the frontier post in Huizhou. By then Holmes had become a very good friend of Tsui. On one occasion, he even sent his only suit
Suit (clothing)
In clothing, a suit is a set of garments made from the same cloth, consisting of at least a jacket and trousers. Lounge suits are the most common style of Western suit, originating in the United Kingdom as country wear...
to Tsui for the use in Tsui's wedding. After the war, under the recommendation of Holmes, Tsui further became the first ethnic Chinese to be appointed a cadet and followed Holmes in the government of Hong Kong. In the end of 1944, Holmes applied for leave of absence and travelled to Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
. He remained in there until the end of the war.
Postwar years
In August 1945, the Second World War finally ended by the unconditional surrender of Japan. After the liberation, Holmes was immediately summoned back to Hong Kong in September and to serve in the provisional military government. Although the military government was headed by Vice AdmiralVice Admiral
Vice admiral is a senior naval rank of a three-star flag officer, which is equivalent to lieutenant general in the other uniformed services. A vice admiral is typically senior to a rear admiral and junior to an admiral...
Sir Cecil Harcourt, all the civil affairs were in charge by David Mercer Macdougall
David Mercer MacDougall
David Mercer MacDougall was a Colonial Secretary of Hong Kong between 1945 and 1949....
, the Chief Civil Affairs Officer dispatched from London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, and Claude Bramall Burgess
Claude Bramall Burgess
Claude Bramall Burgess , CMG, OBE, MA was the Colonial Secretary of Hong Kong from 1958 - 1963....
, a government cadet who was imprisoned by the Japanese during the war. Besides, Holmes and his former colleague Edmund Brinsley Teesdale were responsible for all the matters in the provisional Colonial Secretariat. In order to assist him in dealing with the affairs in New Territories
New Territories
New Territories is one of the three main regions of Hong Kong, alongside Hong Kong Island and the Kowloon Peninsula. It makes up 86.2% of Hong Kong's territory. Historically, it is the region described in The Convention for the Extension of Hong Kong Territory...
, Holmes also appointed Paul Tsui as the Assistant District Officer, New Territories.
When the provisional military government ceased to function in May 1946, Hong Kong re-established its own civil government. In the early postwar years, Holmes continued to serve in the Colonial Secretariat and was the Deputy Clerk of both the Legislative and Executive Councils from 1946 to 1947. After that, he was sent to the Imperial Defence College in London by the government for advanced study. Upon returning to Hong Kong, he rejoined the government and worked in different capacities including the Deputy Secretary for Chinese Affairs. In July 1951, he became the acting Social Welfare Officer of the Secretariat for Chinese Affairs while the holder of the position, John McDouall was absent. When McDouall resumed in 1952, Holmes was appointed to different posts including the Clerk of the Executive and Legislative Councils.
Shek Kip Mei
Shek Kip Mei, originally known as Kap Shek Mi, is an area in New Kowloon, the North Eastern Kowloon Peninsula of Hong Kong.-History:A major fire on 25 December 1953, destroyed the Shek Kip Mei shantytown of immigrants from Mainland China that had fled to Hong Kong, leaving 53,000 people...
that more than 50,000 refugees were made homeless. After the disaster, then Governor Sir Alexander Grantham
Alexander Grantham
Sir Alexander William George Herder Grantham, GCMG was a British colonial administrator who governed Hong Kong and Fiji.-Early life, colonial administration career:...
ordered Holmes to establish the Resettlement Department and appointed him as the Deputy Colonial Secretary
Colonial Secretary
Colonial Secretary may refer to:* Secretary of State for the Colonies, British Cabinet minister who headed the Colonial Office, commonly referred to as Colonial Secretary...
and the first Commissioner of Resettlement. In order to resettle the homeless refugees in a short period of time, he took the lead to construct a number of resettlement estates on the burnt ground in Shek Kip Mei and in its neighboring area. Some of the notable examples included Shek Kip Mei Estate
Shek Kip Mei Estate
Shek Kip Mei Estate is the first public housing estate in Hong Kong. It is located in Sham Shui Po and is under the management of the Hong Kong Housing Authority...
and Tai Hang Tung Estate
Tai Hang Tung Estate
Tai Hang Tung Estate is a public housing estate in Shek Kip Mei, Sham Shui Po, Kowloon, Hong Kong, located near Tai Hang Sai Estate and Nam Shan Estate....
. Since the creation of the Resettlement Department, constructing public housing estate
Public housing in Hong Kong
Public housing in Hong Kong is a set of mass housing programmes through which the Government of Hong Kong provides affordable housing for lower-income residents. It is a major component of housing in Hong Kong, with nearly half of the population now residing in some form of public housing...
for resettling the poor people had become one of the primary policy goals set by the government in postwar Hong Kong. On the other hand, Holmes was also an official member of the Urban Council during his tenure as the Commissioner of Resettlement. In October 1955, when he succeeded the retired Harold Giles Richards as the Director of Urban Services, he stepped down from the Resettlement Department but was also appointed official member of the Legislative Council
Legislative Council
A Legislative Council is the name given to the legislatures, or one of the chambers of the legislature of many nations and colonies.A Member of the Legislative Council is commonly referred to as an MLC.- Unicameral legislatures :...
. His original post of the Commissioner of Resettlement was succeeded by John Walden
John Walden
John Walden was a London-born member of the colonial administration in Hong Kong from 1951 until his retirement 1980. He graduated in 1950 from Merton College, Oxford, with an Honours Degree...
. During his tenure as the Director of Urban Services, Holmes witnessed the expansion of the Council that the number of unofficial members was increased to eight in 1956. It was the first time in history that unofficial member occupied half of the seats in the Council. However, the demand on further reform was not satisfied by the expansion, and therefore the relationship between the unofficial members and the government became worsening under his term of office.
In 1958, Holmes left the Urban and Legislative Councils and replaced Kenneth Barnett as the District Commissioner, New Territories. His tenure as the District Commissioner witnessed the end of a long-time discord between the government and the Heung Yee Kuk
Heung Yee Kuk
The Heung Yee Kuk is a statutory advisory body representing the indigenous inhabitants of New Territories, Hong Kong.Colloquially shortened to 'the Kuk'.-History:...
, the non-governmental advisory body in New Territories
New Territories
New Territories is one of the three main regions of Hong Kong, alongside Hong Kong Island and the Kowloon Peninsula. It makes up 86.2% of Hong Kong's territory. Historically, it is the region described in The Convention for the Extension of Hong Kong Territory...
formed by the indigenous inhabitant
Indigenous inhabitant
Indigenous inhabitants refers to the residents in the New Territories of Hong Kong, whose ancestors were inhabitants there before the commencement of British rule in 1898 and have special rights to preserve their customs...
s. Before his appointment, the Kuk had been split by internal dispute over land issue since 1957 and the government had ceased to recognize the Kuk due to its disorder. In the 13th Heung Yee Kuk election in 1959, the Kuk was once again torn into two factions and there was severe and heated quarrel over the election. Throughout the election dispute, Holmes played a key role to pacify both sides and took an active role to reconcile the dispute successfully. Later in December 1959, with the help of Holmes, the government passed the Heung Yee Kuk Ordinance which officially granted the statutory advisory status to the Kuk, thus effectively comforted the Kuk. In 1962, Holmes was promoted to the post of the Director of Commerce and Industry and was made a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in the New Year's Honours List. His term as Director of Commerce and Industry coincided with the blooming of the local textile industry
Textile industry
The textile industry is primarily concerned with the production of yarn, and cloth and the subsequent design or manufacture of clothing and their distribution. The raw material may be natural, or synthetic using products of the chemical industry....
and he paid a number of visits to different European countries aiming at negotiating trade
Trade
Trade is the transfer of ownership of goods and services from one person or entity to another. Trade is sometimes loosely called commerce or financial transaction or barter. A network that allows trade is called a market. The original form of trade was barter, the direct exchange of goods and...
agreement on textile and expanding the overseas market for the textile industry of Hong Kong. From May to August 1964, Holmes was on vacation so his Deputy Director, Terence Dare Sorby, acted for his position during his absence. By July of the same year, then Governor Sir David Trench reorganized the Legislative Council
Legislative Council of Hong Kong
The Legislative Council is the unicameral legislature of Hong Kong.-History:The Legislative Council of Hong Kong was set up in 1843 as a colonial legislature under British rule...
and the holder of the Director of Commerce and Industry was admitted to the Council as an official member. Therefore, Sorby also became an acting official member of the Legislative Council until the return of Holmes in August. It was the second time for Holmes to be appointed to the Legislative Council and soon afterwards he was further appointed as an official member of the Executive Council
Executive Council of Hong Kong
The Executive Council of Hong Kong is a core policy-making organ in the executive branch of the government of Hong Kong.. The Chief Executive of Hong Kong serves as its President.The Executive Council normally meets once a week...
in 1965, thus becoming a much relied official member in the two Councils.
Secretary for Home Affairs
The Secretary for Home Affairs is the head of the Home Affairs Bureau of the Government of Hong Kong, which is responsible for local issues, and the provision of community, leisure, and cultural services.-List of office holders:*Donald Luddington 1971-1973...
, John McDouall, retired to the United Kingdom and Holmes was chosen to succeed the post which McDouall had served for a decade. Nevertheless, at the time of his promotion the Cultural Revolution
Cultural Revolution
The Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution, commonly known as the Cultural Revolution , was a socio-political movement that took place in the People's Republic of China from 1966 through 1976...
had just broken out in the mainland China
Mainland China
Mainland China, the Chinese mainland or simply the mainland, is a geopolitical term that refers to the area under the jurisdiction of the People's Republic of China . According to the Taipei-based Mainland Affairs Council, the term excludes the PRC Special Administrative Regions of Hong Kong and...
and the situation of Hong Kong had become increasingly unstable. In the following year, Hong Kong was finally hit by the outbreak of the 1967 Leftist Riots, a series of riots which was triggered by a labour dispute. During the disorder, Governor Sir David Trench happened to be absent from Hong Kong and all of a sudden there was no one fully in command of the government. As a result, then Colonial Secretary
Colonial Secretary
Colonial Secretary may refer to:* Secretary of State for the Colonies, British Cabinet minister who headed the Colonial Office, commonly referred to as Colonial Secretary...
, Sir Michael Gass
Michael David Irving Gass
Sir Michael David Irving Gass, KCMG , was the penultimate High Commissioner of the Western Pacific and also in his junior days Colonial Secretary of Hong Kong from 1965 - 1969.He married Elizabeth Periam Fuller Acland Hood in 1975....
, became acting-Governor and Holmes became acting-Colonial Secretary, and therefore it was Holmes and Gass who were in charge in the crisis. At the beginning of the riot, there were only general strike
General strike
A general strike is a strike action by a critical mass of the labour force in a city, region, or country. While a general strike can be for political goals, economic goals, or both, it tends to gain its momentum from the ideological or class sympathies of the participants...
s in Hong Kong but the situation worsened quickly when the Communists started to put pipe bomb
Pipe bomb
A pipe bomb is an improvised explosive device, a tightly sealed section of pipe filled with an explosive material. The containment provided by the pipe means that simple low explosives can be used to produce a relatively large explosion, and the fragmentation of the pipe itself creates potentially...
s on the streets. The presence of pipe bombs was a big blow to Hong Kong as it roused public fear, while the British government and the Hong Kong government secretly discussed whether or not to abandon the Crown Colony
Crown colony
A Crown colony, also known in the 17th century as royal colony, was a type of colonial administration of the English and later British Empire....
. It was said that Holmes strongly resisted the idea of retreat in the Executive Council, and he successfully persuaded the British to stay. Under the leadership of Holmes, the government adopted a hard-line policy towards the Communists and called on the general public to denounce the leftists. Finally, the rioting ended in late 1967, and the tough stance held by Holmes was deeply appreciated by the government.
After the riot, Trench recognised the necessity to implement further reform of the government. So, with the assistance from Holmes, the government began a City District Officer Scheme in May 1968 which was based on the existing District Officer system in the New Territories. Under the new scheme, Hong Kong Island
Hong Kong Island
Hong Kong Island is an island in the southern part of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. It has a population of 1,289,500 and its population density is 16,390/km², as of 2008...
and Kowloon
Kowloon
Kowloon is an urban area in Hong Kong comprising the Kowloon Peninsula and New Kowloon. It is bordered by the Lei Yue Mun strait in the east, Mei Foo Sun Chuen and Stonecutter's Island in the west, Tate's Cairn and Lion Rock in the north, and Victoria Harbour in the south. It had a population of...
were divided into 10 different districts. Each district had a District Office where the District Officer concerned could collect public opinions, receive complaints and provide advice and quick responses. This scheme effectively drew the relationship between the government and the general public closer than it used to be, as the general public could easily express their needs and demands to the District Officer nearby. Alongside the reform, the Secretariat for Chinese Affairs was reorganized into the Home Affairs Department
Home Affairs Department
The Home Affairs Department is a executive agency in the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China responsible for interior affairs in the region...
in February 1969 while the post of the Secretary for Chinese Affairs was renamed into the Secretary for Home Affairs
Secretary for Home Affairs
The Secretary for Home Affairs is the head of the Home Affairs Bureau of the Government of Hong Kong, which is responsible for local issues, and the provision of community, leisure, and cultural services.-List of office holders:*Donald Luddington 1971-1973...
. Holmes continued to serve after the reorganization and was made a Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George (CMG) in the same year. Before retiring from the Home Affairs Department, he had been focusing on the legislation on abolishing polygyny
Polygyny
Polygyny is a form of marriage in which a man has two or more wives at the same time. In countries where the practice is illegal, the man is referred to as a bigamist or a polygamist...
. Yet, such legislation was completed in October 1971, five months after his retirement from the civil service.
Later years
Although Holmes retired from the post of the Secretary for Home Affairs and the official members of the two Councils in May 1971, he became the chairman of the Public Service CommissionCivil Service Commission
-Chairmen:*John Houghton MHK, 2004-date*George Waft MLC, 1996-2004*Clare Christian MLC, 1981-1982*Noel Cringle MLC, 1992-1996*Walter Gilbey, years unknown...
in November 1971 and received his knighthood from Queen Elizabeth II in Buckingham Palace
Buckingham Palace
Buckingham Palace, in London, is the principal residence and office of the British monarch. Located in the City of Westminster, the palace is a setting for state occasions and royal hospitality...
on 13 July 1973. He finally retired from the Commission in May 1977 and began his quiet retirement with his family in Corfu
Corfu
Corfu is a Greek island in the Ionian Sea. It is the second largest of the Ionian Islands, and, including its small satellite islands, forms the edge of the northwestern frontier of Greece. The island is part of the Corfu regional unit, and is administered as a single municipality. The...
, Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
. In May 1981, Holmes and his wife paid a visit to his old friends in Hong Kong. He felt unwell during the visit and was admitted to the Queen Mary Hospital
Queen Mary Hospital, Hong Kong
Queen Mary Hospital , located in Pok Fu Lam on Hong Kong Island of Hong Kong, is the flagship teaching hospital of the Faculty of Dentistry and Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine of the University of Hong Kong...
for a few weeks. The couple continued their visit after his recovery. Unfortunately, upon returning to Greece, Holmes became very sick and died in a hospital on Corfu on 14 June 1981, aged 67.
After his death, he was mourned by many in Hong Kong while then Governor of Hong Kong
Governor of Hong Kong
The Governor of Hong Kong was the head of the government of Hong Kong during British rule from 1843 to 1997. The governor's roles were defined in the Hong Kong Letters Patent and Royal Instructions...
, (later Lord) Sir Murray MacLehose praised him as a loyal civil servant who devoted to the affairs of Hong Kong both in the time of war and peace. His memorial service in Hong Kong was held in St. John's Cathedral
St. John's Cathedral, Hong Kong
St. John's Cathedral , officially The Cathedral Church of St. John the Evangelist and located at 4 Garden Road, Central, is an Anglican cathedral in Hong Kong. It is the Diocesan cathedral of the...
on 19 June. Besides the Governor and Chief Secretary
Chief Secretary for Administration
The Chief Secretary for Administration , commonly known as Chief Secretary and abbreviated as CS, is the second highest position of the Hong Kong Government...
, Sir Jack Cater
Jack Cater
Sir Jack Cater, KBE, JP was the Chief Secretary of Hong Kong from 1978 to 1981. Cater was the third Chief Secretary under the Governorship of Sir Murray MacLehose, later Lord MacLehose of Beoch...
, many of his friends such as Paul Tsui and Denis Campbell Bray, the Secretary for Home Affairs, attended the service. Both the Governor and Bray delivered their memorial speeches in the service in which Bray described Holmes as "one of the founders of postwar Hong Kong" who was also an important mediator to the government in 1950s
1950s in Hong Kong
1950s in Hong Kong began after the Japanese rule ended in 1945 with sovereignty returning to the British. However, the Nationalist-Communist Civil War was renewed in mainland China. It prompted a large influx of refugees from the mainland, causing a huge population surge. The government struggled...
and 1960s
1960s in Hong Kong
1960s in Hong Kong continued with the development and expansion of manufacturing that began in the previous decade. The economic progress made in the period would categorise Hong Kong as one of Four Asian Tigers along with Singapore, South Korea, and Taiwan.-Background:Economically, this era is...
. Apart from the memorial speeches, an article recollecting the wartime life of Holmes was specially written by Paul Tsui as well. In London, another memorial service was held in St Paul's, Covent Garden
St Paul's, Covent Garden
St Paul's Church, also commonly known as the Actors' Church, is a church designed by Inigo Jones as part of a commission by Francis Russell, 4th Earl of Bedford in 1631 to create "houses and buildings fitt for the habitacons of Gentlemen and men of ability" in Covent Garden, London, England.As well...
on 14 July 1981 and it was attended by Lady Holmes. The remains of Holmes were buried in the British Cemetery on Corfu.
Family
Holmes first met his future wife, Charlotte Marjorie Fisher, the only daughter of Frank Hastings Fisher, who was a former representative and manager of British American TobaccoBritish American Tobacco
British American Tobacco p.l.c. is a global tobacco company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It is the world’s second largest quoted tobacco company by global market share , with a leading position in more than 50 countries and a presence in more than 180 countries...
in Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
, when he was on holiday in Australia in 1944. They were married at St. John's Church, Toorak, Victoria
Toorak, Victoria
Toorak is a suburb of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 5 km south-east from Melbourne's central business district located on a rise on the south side of a bend in the Yarra River. Its Local Government Area is the City of Stonnington...
, at 11:00 am on 31 January 1945. The couple had two sons and the whole family moved to Corfu in 1977. Sir Ronald's hobbies included reading, travel and golf
Golf
Golf is a precision club and ball sport, in which competing players use many types of clubs to hit balls into a series of holes on a golf course using the fewest number of strokes....
. He was a member of the Travellers Club
Travellers Club
The Travellers Club is a gentlemen's club standing at 106 Pall Mall, London. It is the oldest of the surviving Pall Mall clubs, having been established in 1819, and was recently described by the Los Angeles Times as "the quintessential English gentleman's club." Visits are possible by invitation...
in London and the Hong Kong Club
Hong Kong Club
The Hong Kong Club is the first Gentlemen's club in Hong Kong. Opened on 26 May 1846, at 1 Jackson Road overlooking the Cenotaph, it is a private business and dining club in the heart of Central, Hong Kong. Its members were among the most influential people in the city, including such...
and the Royal Hong Kong Jockey Club in Hong Kong.
| colspan="2" style="background: #CFCFCF; text-align: center" Major experience | |
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（1954 – 1955）
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Conferment
- Military CrossMilitary CrossThe Military Cross is the third-level military decoration awarded to officers and other ranks of the British Armed Forces; and formerly also to officers of other Commonwealth countries....
(9 March 1943) - Member of the Order of the British Empire (Military Division, 4 May 1943)
- Efficiency DecorationEfficiency DecorationThe Efficiency Decoration is a defunct medal of Britain and the Commonwealth awarded for long service in the Territorial Army of the UK, the Indian Volunteer Forces and Colonial Auxiliary Forces....
(1956) - Commander of the Order of the British Empire (New Year HonoursNew Year HonoursThe New Year Honours is a part of the British honours system, being a civic occasion on the New Year annually in which new members of most Commonwealth Realms honours are named. The awards are presented by the reigning monarch or head of state, currently Queen Elizabeth II...
, 1962) - Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George (Queen's Birthday HonoursQueen's Birthday HonoursThe Queen's Birthday Honours is a part of the British honours system, being a civic occasion on the celebration of the Queen's Official Birthday in which new members of most Commonwealth Realms honours are named. The awards are presented by the reigning monarch or head of state, currently Queen...
, 1969) - Unofficial Justice of the PeaceJustice of the PeaceA justice of the peace is a puisne judicial officer elected or appointed by means of a commission to keep the peace. Depending on the jurisdiction, they might dispense summary justice or merely deal with local administrative applications in common law jurisdictions...
(August 1969) - Knight BachelorKnight BachelorThe rank of Knight Bachelor is a part of the British honours system. It is the most basic rank of a man who has been knighted by the monarch but not as a member of one of the organised Orders of Chivalry...
(New Year Honours, 1973)
Titles
- Ronald Holmes (26 December 1913 – 9 March 1943)
- Ronald Holmes, MC (9 March 1943 – 4 May 1943)
- Ronald Holmes, MBE, MC (4 May 1943 – November 1955)
- The Honourable Ronald Holmes, MBE, MC (November 1955 – 1956)
- The Honourable Ronald Holmes, MBE, MC, ED (1956 – 1958)
- Ronald Holmes, MBE, MC, ED (1958 – January 1962)
- Ronald Holmes, CBE, MC, ED (January 1962 – June 1964)
- The Honourable Ronald Holmes, CBE, MC, ED (June 1964 – June 1969)
- The Honourable Ronald Holmes, CMG, CBE, MC, ED (June 1969 – August 1969)
- The Honourable Ronald Holmes, CMG, CBE, MC, ED, JP (August 1969 – May 1971)
- Ronald Holmes, CMG, CBE, MC, ED, JP (May 1971 – January 1973)
- Sir Ronald Holmes, CMG, CBE, MC, ED, JP (January 1973 – 14 June 1981)
See also
- Secretariat for Chinese Affairs
- British Army Aid GroupBritish Army Aid GroupThe British Army Aid Group was a para-military organisation for British and allied forces in Southern China during the Second World War. The BAAG was officially classified in the British Army's order of battle as a MI9 unit that was responsible for assisting prisoners of war to escape from the...
(BAAG) - Hong Kong 1967 Leftist Riots
- Paul Tsui
External links
- My Life and My Encounters - PAUL TSUI KA CHEUNG'S MEMOIRS
- Heads of Department, Customs and Excise Department
- Ronnie Holmes 40 Great Years, The Bulletin,