Former governor Chris Patten yesterday added his voice to tributes to the late Jack Edwards for his campaign to seek justice for British prisoners of war.
Lord Patten sent a message from his London home to the British consulate in Hong Kong to commemorate Edwards, who died last Sunday aged 88.
'I was sad to hear the news. He was a brave and dedicated campaigner for British prisoners of war, servicemen and their widows. Jack was the best of British,' he said. 'He loved Hong Kong and Hong Kong will, I am sure, miss him.'
The ex-prisoner of war dedicated more than 60 years of his life to fighting for justice for the thousands who died at the hands of the Japanese in the second world war. A Welshman, he came to Hong Kong in 1946 as part of the war crimes investigation team and decided to settle here in 1963. He was a fluent Cantonese speaker.
As well as helping families in Britain and the Commonwealth locate the remains of missing relatives, Edwards - who was decorated with the OBE and MBE - gained recognition of and pensions for POWs in Hong Kong.
His greatest achievement was winning British passports for POWs and their wives and widows on the eve of the handover.
