David Mercer MacDougall

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David Mercer MacDougall (

of Hong Kong between 1945 and 1949.

In 1928, while a Cadet Officer, MacDougall was seconded to the

.

MacDougall was put in charge of the Hong Kong Planning Unit in London in September 1944, charged with preparing for the return of Hong Kong to the UK when the war ended.^[1] After Japan surrendered on 15 August 1945 McDougall arrived back in Hong Kong on 7 September 1945 as Chief Civil Affairs Officer with the rank of Brigadier. He had responsibility for Civil Administration, reporting to Admiral Sir Cecil Harcourt who was appointed Commander-in-Chief. MacDougall witnessed the Japanese surrender to Admiral Harcourt in Government House on 16 September.

Civilian rule in Hong Kong was reestablished under Governor Sir Mark Young on 1 May 1946 at which time McDougall became Colonial Secretary reporting to Young.^[1] When Young retired, MacDougall served briefly as acting Governor from May 1947 – 25 July 1947.

Chan Chak likewise became Mayor of Canton after the war. He died six weeks before the city fell to Communist forces in 1949.

After his retirement from the Colonial Service in 1949, MacDougall farmed in Suffolk until the late 1960s. Thereafter he divided his time between East Anglia and Scotland. He died in Strathtay, near his home town of Perth, in May 1991 at the age of 86.

References

Government offices
Preceded by Sir Franklin Charles Gimson	Colonial Secretary of Hong Kong 1945–1949	Succeeded by Sir John Fearns Nicoll
Preceded by Sir Cecil Harcourt	Governor of Hong Kong (Administrator) May 1947 – 25 July 1947	Succeeded by Sir Alexander Grantham